MLB WORLD SERIES: DODGERS VS BLUE JAYS

October 24, 2025

Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Rogers Centre

Los Angeles Dodgers

Pregame 1 Press Conference

Q. What's your impression of the Blue Jays lineup and what makes them so difficult to navigate?

YOSHINOBU YAMAMOTO: First off, impression of them for me is that they can string -- I mean keep the lineup moving, and then they can hit home runs when it's needed. So I'm thinking the key for me is just to keep the fundamental pitching and not to care that much about runners.

Q. The Blue Jays don't strike out a whole lot. Do you have to change how you attack them any differently than you would a normal lineup, just knowing that they don't tend to strike out?

YOSHINOBU YAMAMOTO: It's not necessary for me to focus on that part. I just like to keep my job simple and just be able to pound the strike zone.

Q. Yesterday Blake Snell talked about how he has kind of grown as a pitcher by adapting his game plan to how hitters are responding to what he's throwing. Is that something that the two of you have talked about and discussed?

YOSHINOBU YAMAMOTO: I learned kind of similar things from not only Snell, but a lot of different pitchers. For me, it's, like, a normal or common thing for me to do, seeing how hitters respond to my pitches.

Q. Do you feel that the rotation, just the Dodgers rotation right now, you all make each other better, and is part of it that you can have these kinds of discussions together?

YOSHINOBU YAMAMOTO: We do not gather all together at the same time, but individually we talk about it.

Q. You have been maintaining a performance at the really high level. How are you doing it? Like, what is your dietary practice or something like that?

YOSHINOBU YAMAMOTO: Compared to last year, because I haven't gotten myself acclimated to my daily American life-style, but I've been doing that now, so it's not much different.

Q. Yesterday you said you might get nervous as the game gets close. How actually do you feel at this point?

YOSHINOBU YAMAMOTO: I just take every game, whether if it's a regular season game or a playoff or World Series game, I just take it as similar as possible. Right now I think I'm in a pretty good position mentally.

Q. For the Dodgers, back-to-back World Series games, and for Clayton Kershaw this will be the last World Series for him. How is the chemistry within the team?

YOSHINOBU YAMAMOTO: As a team, I think because we're preparing pretty well with the composure and good energy, good vibe, as a team. Because this is a goal, it's what we've been striving to get to since spring training.

For Kershaw, we would like to get this win and then let him have the best way out.