This could be the night when Dodgers actually get a return on investment.
Not in the gift shop. Not in advertising sales. Not in international tourism. All of this is secondary to the product on the field.
The Dodgers spent a billion dollars Shohei Ohtani And Yoshinobu Yamamoto for times like these. If they win Thursday, with Yamamoto pitching and Ohtani sparking the offense, the Dodgers will have a World Series victory.
‘If those two guys leave, it’s going to be tough,’ Dodgers infielder Max Muncy said.
For the New York Mets, he meant, as if the Dodgers hadn’t been tough enough on the Mets in this National League Championship Series. The series lead – 2-1, in favor of the Dodgers – doesn’t seem as imposing as the series itself.
Learn more: Plaschke: Dodgers poised to defeat Mets in New York minute after dominant Game 3 win
The two Dodgers victories: 9-0 in the opening, 8-0 Wednesday. They lead all playoff teams in home runs, including a mammoth shot from Ohtani in his final at-bat Wednesday.
Ohtani took all the pressure off the Dodgers bullpen, turning a 4-0 lead into a 7-0 lead in the eighth inning, after a walk to Will Smith and a single by Kiké Hernández with a home run into the upper deck.
“The runners loaded the bases in that inning and created a good flow,” Ohtani told Japanese broadcaster NHK.
The flow of thought around Ohtani has not been peaceful. He’s hitting .226 in the postseason and is 0-for-22 with no runners on base.
If you are a concerned Dodgers fan, Bets on Mookie would like to encourage you to relax.
“I don’t know why people are talking about Shohei,” Betts said. “He’s the best player on the field, every day. There’s no need to worry about him.
“He doesn’t have a hit?” Who cares? Do you know what I’m saying? This is Shohei Ohtani. Everyone knows who he is. Every time he steps into the box, everyone expects something good to happen. I think that’s the problem. He’s done it so many times that it’s expected. He’s a human for 20 at-bats.
“It’s Shohei. It’s good.
And Yamamoto?
“His business is good. His head is fine,” Betts said. “Everything is fine.”
Austin Barnes, the Dodgers’ backup catcher, played for Team Mexico in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. He saw up close what Ohtani and Yamamoto can do in a big game.
With a spot in the championship match on the line, Ohtani and Yamamoto led Japan to a comeback victory on Mexico. Ohtani scored the first run and the tying run for Japan – the latter after leading off the ninth inning with a double – and Yamamoto came out of the bullpen and held Mexico at bay until Japan recovers from a three-point deficit.
“They’re obviously special talents,” Barnes said. “They are an integral part of our team. They don’t need to put pressure on themselves to be anything other than they are. We have a very good team around them.
“Obviously, Shohei is one of the best players in baseball, but he doesn’t have to do everything. There should be some freedom in that, I think.
“Yoshi is a big game thrower and his skills make him one of the best throwers in the world. I can’t wait to see what he does.
Learn more: Dodgers follow October script to perfection in NLCS Game 3 win over Mets
The start date of the World Series this year depends on whether each league’s championship series extends beyond five games. If Yamamoto performs well on Thursday, and the NLCS or ALCS goes at least six games, he could be in contention to start Game 1 of the World Series.
Think about it: The Dodgers signed one of the best pitchers in the world to a record contract for a pitcher, and he could return the favor in his first year by starting Game 1 of the World Series. You can sell all the $174.99 jerseys you want, but the real return on investment is a spot in the Fall Classic.
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This story was originally published in Los Angeles Times.
