The Toronto Blue Jays are one win away from a chance to claim their first World Series title in 32 years, but they’ll have to navigate the dominance of Los Angeles Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Friday night’s Game 6. Every at-bat and pitch will carry enormous weight as Toronto tries to avoid a Game 7.
John Schneider, the Blue Jays’ manager, has made it clear that the key to success against Yamamoto lies in discipline and strategy at the plate. The 27-year-old Dodgers pitcher has already demonstrated his ability to dominate a postseason game, leaving the Blue Jays with a high-stakes challenge.
“Man, hopefully he’s a little tired,’’ Schneider told USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. “He’s unique because he’s got what seems like six or seven pitches, and can kind of morph into different pitchers as the game kind of goes on.
He added: “You got to be stubborn, you have to be ready to hit, and you have to be stubborn with what kind of swings you’re taking. That’s what it comes down to. He’s not a guy you can kind of wait out. He’s going to pound the zone, so sometimes you got to force some action on him.”
Manager John Schneider of the Blue Jays speaks with Shane Bieber #57 during a mound visit. Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images
Can the Blue Jays overcome Yamamoto in Game 6?
Yamamoto was the standout performer in the Dodgers’ Game 2 win, tossing a four-hit complete game and retiring the final 20 batters—the first pitcher to do so in a World Series game since Don Larsen’s perfect game in 1956. His ability to morph his pitches and maintain control deep into games makes him a formidable opponent in any decisive matchup.
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Despite winning two straight, the Blue Jays will need to remain disciplined to exploit any potential lapses from the ace, while the Dodgers will be motivated to extend their title defense.
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As Dodgers manager Dave Roberts put it: “It’s fight or flight, it’s whatever adage or saying you want, to leave it all out there. It’s certainly not war. I’m not trying to compare that to war. But in our world, in our small world of baseball, it is war. So that’s the mindset.”
