It’s incredible how quickly young talent Yoshinobu Yamamoto has established quite a place for him, especially in his debut year. How’s that? Well, just before the Dodgers’ workout on Thursday, while everyone was gearing up for the playoffs, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman made a surprising announcement. A change in the starting rotation for the National League Division Series against the Padres was in the works. And now, instead of right-hander Jack Flaherty, who was set to pitch Game 1 on Saturday, Yamamoto will take the mound.

Although the Japanese talent was initially slated to start in Game 2 on Sunday, the Dodgers pulled a fast one. Instead, they’ll start him in the series opener, moving Jack Flaherty to Sunday. Talk about a swap! It’s a curious choice, especially since Yamamoto hasn’t pitched in the playoffs before, though he did show his mettle in the WBC. The young blood has experienced big moments, but playoffs have a different energy. While this decision might surprise some, Andrew Friedman clearly has his reasons.

What are the Dodgers’ reasons for this swap?

Can you guess it? Spoiler alert: it wasn’t just about performance, but strategy. As per MLB, starting Yamamoto in Game 1 opens up the possibility of him pitching in a potential Game 5 in this best-of-five series. It’s all about the math and having options, right? Plus, considering Yamamoto isn’t really used to pitching on regular rest, this new order keeps him on the same schedule he thrived on during the regular season, also having Jack Flaherty available if the series goes the distance since he’ll be on regular rest.

It’s all about giving the Dodgers more options if the series stretches out. Looks like the Dodgers are clearly focused on winning and are smartly planning for the future. And let’s not forget about the bullpen usage. This setup really gives the Blue Crew some flexibility in a potential Game 5, if it ever happens. But the big question still remains: What about Yamamoto’s inexperience in the playoffs?

That’s not an issue for the president of baseball operations, who said, “Yamamoto is going to take it in and feed on that adrenaline and do what he does.” On the other hand, when the Dodgers made him the highest-paid pitcher in baseball history with that jaw-dropping $325 million contract, it was clear they were envisioning big moments like this for the Japanese right-hander. But how does the 26-year-old feel about this shift?

How does Yoshinobu Yamamoto feels about this swap?

When Andrew was asked about Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s reaction to this shift, the executive shared, “Yamamoto was like, ‘I was going to throw a bullpen either way today or tomorrow. I’m ready for whatever you guys want.’” It sounds like Yoshi is both excited and prepared, which should put fans’ minds at ease as they gear up for the right-hander’s playoff debut. And if we look at the stats, this decision not only starts strategies for the future but can be fruitful on the mound too. The 2024 season started off a bit risky for the player.

Despite missing nearly three months of his first MLB season due to a right triceps injury, Yoshi still managed to make 18 starts, racking up a 7-2 record with a solid 3.00 ERA. That’s not it; Yoshinobu Yamamoto also has 105 strikeouts in 90 innings under his hat. The Japanese talent is truly thriving with the Dodgers, and speaking of Japanese stars, how can we overlook Shohei Ohtani? The 30-year-old is just one home run shy of hitting 55 this season. With the Dodgers in the playoffs, who knows? We might just see him crack 60.

While it’s looking all great at the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup and they seem to be all prepared, we have to note another thing: the NLDS is big, and the Dodgers have been getting eliminated from the first round in the postseason for the last two years. And now, they’re going up against a Padres team that’s been on the rise with their numbers. So, will Yamamoto’s arrival finally break that elimination curse? Do you think starting him in Game 1 is the right call? Drop your thoughts in the comments.