Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s last Petco Park outing came with a costly early mistake pitch, even as he limited the damage. Now, he returns Saturday night against the Padres with strong recent form and a home-and-road split that puts the Dodgers’ playoff-relevant momen
SAN DIEGO — The last time Yoshinobu Yamamoto took the mound at Petco Park, it was one mistake pitch, thrown two batters into his start, that stood out after everything else settled.
He still delivered a grind: seven innings of one-run ball. But the Dodgers lost that game, and that kind of small moment can stick to a pitcher longer than the final line ever does.
That May 18 outing ended up becoming a turning point of its own. From there. Yamamoto built a strong stretch. and he enters Saturday night’s start against the Padres with a record that reflects how locked in he’s been: he has gone 4-2 with a 1.51 ERA in his previous six appearances. allowing seven earned runs in 41 2/3 innings.
For the Dodgers, it’s the role he’s been playing—an ace the team has leaned on when it matters.
The stakes feel sharper when the setting is Petco Park. In two career starts there, Yamamoto has allowed just three earned runs in 13 innings, posting a 2.08 ERA. This season. the picture is complicated in a way only a pitcher can make it: he has been better on the road than at home. His road ERA sits at 2.18 across six starts, while his home ERA is 3.04 in eight starts.
Saturday night’s matchup is expected to carry more than just personal redemption for Yamamoto. The Dodgers are trying to press an advantage they already own in the National League West—an already-commanding lead that they’re looking to extend further over their most competitive division rivals.
If Yamamoto can keep the sharpness he’s shown in recent starts and keep the Petco Park lesson from turning into a repeat, the Dodgers won’t just be defending a lead. They’ll be pushing it further, with their ace driving the pace from the mound.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto Dodgers Padres Petco Park National League West ERA May 18 1.51 ERA 2.08 ERA game preview