NL DIVISION SERIES: PADRES VS BREWERS

October 7, 2026

Yuki Matsui

Petco Park

San Diego Padres

Pregame 4 Press Conference

Q. You were not on the Wild Card roster last year. What does it mean for you to have graduated to this level of involvement and dependability in this Padres bullpen?

YUKI MATSUI: It's great that they trust me and use me in important situations. That was the very reason I came over from Japan to play high-level baseball here. So I'm pretty happy and excited every day.

Q. Was that difficult to go to Chicago last year and not be on the roster?

YUKI MATSUI: That wasn't easy, but given how I played in the regular season, my stats, that was understandable, and I got it.

Q. What do you think the biggest change for you was in becoming the guy you are right now?

YUKI MATSUI: Stuff-wise, especially the slider, has much improvement, and it's been more effective this year. So I think that's one of the biggest factors.

Q. Xander Bogaerts was saying yesterday after the game that he was mentally tired, it was an exhausting ballgame, a lot of studying went into it before the game. You were there pitching in a big moment as well last night. From a mental standpoint, how do you kind of shut off after a game, or does it ever shut off in a series like this? You might be called upon again tonight, especially after what you were saying that you were not part of the series in the Wild Card series last year, and now here in a big series in a big moment, how do you manage all that from a mental standpoint?

YUKI MATSUI: As far as mental fatigue goes, I do feel after pitching in these big moments and in the playoff situations, I do feel I use more, my head more, thinking a little bit more. But given that after pitching any game, I feel fatigued.

Specifically for the home games, I have my family here, and I can wind down and relax. So that helps to recover.

Another point, as much as I use my mental game, I can't imagine how fatigued the position players are because they have to stay focused like from pitch one to the end of the game. So that's something I cannot tell.

Q. How has Niebla been a part of that a bit in terms of helping you throughout the season? You said you understood why you weren't on the roster last year for the playoffs. Now throughout this year how having Ruben this year for you has been?

YUKI MATSUI: Nothing specifically for not being on the roster last year and being on the roster this year, but especially the second half of the season being given those moments in big situations, so I do feel like I have been given opportunities to contribute to the team, and I have been able to execute those roles, which is a big change this year.

Q. Can you compare the playoff baseball in Japan to what you're experiencing now in terms of atmosphere and the baseball, the tactics of the baseball?

YUKI MATSUI: First off, the team I played for in Japan, we weren't doing great at the time I was there. So I never really played the playoff baseball at home. So I can't really compare the Petco atmosphere to that.

But as far as the tactics and everything goes, I think there are quicker decision-making, the pitching changes for instance, and a lot more focus on how to win that game in front of you and doing everything you have, using all the cards you have, that you're dealt with.

Q. And that applies to here?

YUKI MATSUI: Yes.

Q. The other question is in Japan right now how much attention is on these games? Are you getting the sense how much people are cheering for you and wanting you to do well? Do you get any feedback from Japan?

YUKI MATSUI: Yes, I get a lot of messages from friends, family members, so that's really encouraging. It gives me hope and power to play through.

Q. How does pitching here in front of your home crowd in San Diego help you?

YUKI MATSUI: Very encouraging, especially the home crowd atmosphere. That really gives me additional "pat on the back" type encouragement, and yesterday was no exception.

Q. What makes your bullpen so unselfish, where everyone will pitch wherever they need?

YUKI MATSUI: Not just the playoffs, like throughout the season, that is our model to have our pitchers' back, and that's what we've been doing. Knowing so many guys are behind me just gives me a huge trust. I can just give my all on the field, and I know there are other guys who has my back. That's really encouraging and a great thing.

Q. How shocked were you to see Michael King in the bullpen preparing for a two-inning save? And what was his demeanor like when he was in there preparing for that moment?

YUKI MATSUI: Pitching more than 70 pitches and the one-day rest and going for two innings, that was simply unbelievable. Michael is just a great person to rely on, not just as a person but as a baseball player, and yesterday's performance was one of these moments that that shows.

I was watching after my outing, I was in the clubhouse and watching, and that was just like I didn't have a word.

Q. Yu Darvish, in the locker room, you guys are next to each other, and what does it mean to you to have Darvish and whether you learn from him? We don't know whether he's going to pitch next year. Do you have any thoughts or hopes on that?

YUKI MATSUI: It is great to have someone who can give me -- who can converse with me in the mother language and specifics about baseball. Particularly this time, I was thinking about tactics on pitching against the same hitters in such a short period of time, and he gave me some tips and advice, and that made me really set the plans and make me determined going into the game. So that was very helpful.

It is not my place to say about his status or the playing status, but obviously I am hoping to play with him if he decides to play.

Q. The past two years, Dodgers has some Japanese players you are probably friends with, won the World Series back-to-back. How do you feel about that, and what are you doing going into this season?

YUKI MATSUI: Especially the past two seasons, I wasn't in the position to specifically care about them because I wasn't a high-leverage arm. Even this year, even though I'm given those big moments and opportunities to pitch in those situations, the important thing is to win the series against the Brewers. So nothing particularly for the Dodgers.