Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto has shown early this season that he is a bona fide ace, but the 26-year-old struggled to establish his identity early in Major League Baseball until a meeting with utility man Kiké Hernández in October changed everything.
More news: Dodgers Could Change Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki Schedules Amid Injury Issues
Yamamoto was given the Game 1 nod as a rookie and was tasked with facing one of the most dynamic lineups in baseball. The National League Division Series matchup was already being called the most entertaining playoff duel with an injury-riddled Dodgers and the hottest team in the game, the San Diego Padres.