Daily News 19

Tag: Yoshinobu Yamamoto

  • Cincinnati Reds vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: Rhett Lowder Faces Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Starting Pitcher Duel

    Cincinnati Reds vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: Rhett Lowder Faces Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Starting Pitcher Duel

    Reds Eliminated from Postseason Contention as Dodgers Prevail 4-1

    CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Reds’ faint playoff hopes were officially extinguished Monday night as the Los Angeles Dodgers secured a 4-1 victory at Great American Ball Park, dropping the Reds to 70-80 on the season.

    De La Cruz Continues Historic Power Surge

    The lone bright spot for Cincinnati came from Elly De La Cruz, who launched a mammoth home run estimated at 457 feet. The blast cleared the power stacks in left-center field and exited the stadium entirely, marking the second consecutive week the shortstop has produced a tape-measure shot. Just seven days earlier, De La Cruz hit a similarly awe-inspiring home run from the opposite side of the plate against Dodgers ace Tarik Skubal — feats of raw power that remain virtually unmatched across Major League Baseball.

    Season Slips Further Into Lost Territory

    Despite De La Cruz’s heroics, the Reds’ offense mustered no further support. The loss pushes Cincinnati a full ten games under .500, cementing another disappointing campaign for a franchise searching for its identity. With the postseason mathematically out of reach, attention inevitably shifts toward offseason planning and the development of young talent.

    Lowder Faces Critical Test Against Yamamoto

    Right-hander Rhett Lowder takes the mound Tuesday night in what amounts to a pivotal audition for his 2027 role. The former first-round pick has struggled to show meaningful progression this season, and anything short of a sharp outing will force the front office to prioritize starting rotation depth this winter. Opposing him will be Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, one of the game’s premier pitchers.

    First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 PM ET at Great American Ball Park.

    Tuesday’s Lineups

    Los Angeles Dodgers

    • Josue De Paula – DH
    • Freddie Freeman – 1B
    • Mookie Betts – SS
    • Kyle Tucker – RF
    • Teoscar Hernandez – LF
    • Max Muncy – 3B
    • Tommy Edman – CF
    • Hunter Feduccia – C
    • Alex Freeland – 2B
    • Y. Yamamoto – RHP

    Cincinnati Reds

    • Carlos Jorge – CF
    • Elly De La Cruz – SS
    • Sal Stewart – 1B
    • JJ Bleday – LF
    • Eugenio Suarez – DH
    • Hector Rodriguez – RF
    • Matt McLain – 2B
    • Juan Brito – 3B
    • Will Banfield – C
    • Rhett Lowder – RHP
  • Dodgers rout Reds 14-1 (Sept. 9, 2026)

    Dodgers rout Reds 14-1 (Sept. 9, 2026)

    Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivered a dominant performance Wednesday night, striking out 10 batters while allowing just three hits over seven innings to lead Los Angeles to a 14-1 rout of the Cincinnati Reds. The victory extended the Dodgers’ winning streak to a season-high seven games and completed a series sweep at Dodger Stadium.

    Dodgers Offense Explodes for 14 Runs

    The Dodgers’ lineup provided massive run support, with Mookie Betts, Max Muncy, and Kiké Hernández each launching two-run home runs. Los Angeles broke the game open with a six-run fourth inning — its highest-scoring frame since a nine-run outburst against San Diego on June 27, also in a Yamamoto start. All nine Dodgers starters reached base, marking the team’s 11th consecutive home win over Cincinnati.

    Betts continued his hot September, going 3-for-5 with two RBI, three runs scored, and a walk to raise his average to .249. It was his fifth multi-hit game in the first eight games of the month. Kyle Tucker added a solo homer in the eighth inning off Reds position player Jose Trevino.

    Magic Number Drops to Six

    With the sweep, Los Angeles reduced its magic number to six for clinching a 13th National League West title in 14 seasons. The Dodgers achieved the milestone without injured superstars Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman in the lineup.

    Yamamoto Sets Career High in Wins

    Yamamoto (13-8) retired 17 of his first 20 batters en route to his 13th win of the season, a new career best. His 10 strikeouts matched a season high. The right-hander received 13 runs of support — his most since July 19.

    De La Cruz Powers Reds’ Lone Run

    Cincinnati’s only run came on a 403-foot home run to center field by Elly De La Cruz on the first pitch he saw from Yamamoto in the fourth inning. The blast extended De La Cruz’s home run streak to a career-high five consecutive games; he also homered on the first pitch from Detroit’s Tarik Skubal on Tuesday. NL Rookie of the Year candidate Sal Stewart singled twice off Yamamoto, and JJ Bleday drew a walk.

    Key Fourth Inning Sequence

    The Dodgers’ decisive fourth inning featured an RBI double by Alex Freeland, a two-run double by Hernández that was followed by a run-scoring wild pitch from reliever Luis Mey, and a two-run single by Teoscar Hernández that glanced off De La Cruz’s glove to make it 9-1. Betts’ two-run homer off Reds starter Rhett Lowder (6-10) had earlier staked Los Angeles to a 3-0 lead.

    Upcoming Schedule

    Reds: Following an off-day Thursday, left-hander Andrew Abbott (6-10, 4.43 ERA) will start Friday’s series opener at Milwaukee against Brewers lefty Kyle Harrison (10-4, 3.66).

    Dodgers: Los Angeles had not announced a starter for Friday’s series opener at Miami as of Wednesday night.

  • Despite Strong Performance, Eric Lauer Could Miss the Dodgers’ October Roster

    Despite Strong Performance, Eric Lauer Could Miss the Dodgers’ October Roster

    Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Eric Lauer has delivered everything the team has asked of him in 2026, but his strong regular season still may not be enough to secure a spot on the Dodgers’ postseason roster.

    Lauer joined Los Angeles in May after the Toronto Blue Jays designated him for assignment and traded him. Since then, the left-hander has revived his season and become one of the Dodgers’ most dependable pitchers.

    How has Eric Lauer performed for the Dodgers in 2026?

    Lauer’s ERA has dropped from 6.69 with Toronto to 3.78 with the Dodgers. His ERA+ has improved from 67 to 107, while his WHIP has fallen from 1.486 to 1.145. His FIP, or fielding independent pitching, has also improved from 6.91 to 5.21.

    Even more importantly, the Dodgers have consistently won when Lauer takes the mound.

    Los Angeles did not lose a game started by Lauer until Aug. 5, when the Chicago Cubs defeated the Dodgers 7-6. The Dodgers then suffered another one-run loss, falling 6-5 to the Atlanta Braves on Aug. 26.

    Despite those defeats, the Dodgers are 11-2 with Lauer on the mound, and he has posted a personal record of 6-1.

    Eric Lauer remains on the bubble for the Dodgers’ playoff roster

    Lauer has moved between the starting rotation and bullpen this season, but neither role appears to have a clear postseason opening for him, according to Katie Woo of The Athletic.

    Although Lauer has been successful as a regular-season starter, he is unlikely to join the Dodgers’ postseason rotation ahead of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tarik Skubal, Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell. Justin Wrobleski, an All-Star this season, is also being shifted to the postseason bullpen and would be the most likely candidate to enter the rotation if a spot becomes available.

    “On the pitching side, it’s hard to see Eric Lauer cracking the list, despite Lauer being one of the most dependable arms this season,” Woo wrote. “That Lauer looks to be outside the bubble has more to do with the left-handers that have more or less stamped their ticket on the roster: Tanner Scott, Alex Vesia, Jack Dreyer and most likely Justin Wrobleski, with Kris Bubic potentially in the mix.”

    There is still time for the situation to change, but the window is closing. Lauer has produced a strong season for Los Angeles, yet he could ultimately be left off the Dodgers’ playoff roster.

  • Elly De La Cruz Homers in 5th Straight Game

    Elly De La Cruz Homers in 5th Straight Game

    Elly De La Cruz Extends Home Run Streak to Five Games Against Dodgers

    LOS ANGELES — Even against one of baseball’s elite pitchers, Elly De La Cruz continued his historic power surge. The Cincinnati Reds shortstop launched a first-pitch, 97.4 mph fastball from Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto over the center-field wall in the fourth inning Wednesday night, a Statcast-projected 403-foot solo shot that extended his home run streak to a career-best five consecutive games.

    Record-Setting Pace for Switch-Hitter

    The blast marked De La Cruz’s 26th home run of the season, establishing a new career high and breaking his own single-season franchise record of 25 set in 2024 for the most homers by a switch-hitter in Reds history. The five-game streak stands as the longest of his career and the longest ever by a switch-hitter for the club. It also ties him for the second-longest streak overall in franchise history, leaving him just two games shy of Joey Votto’s record of seven straight games with a home run, set in July 2021.

    Lone Bright Spot in Lopsided Loss

    While the Dodgers answered with a six-run fourth inning to blow open a 14-1 victory, De La Cruz’s solo shot provided Cincinnati’s only run. Taking an elite starter deep on the first pitch of an at-bat is remarkable on its own — the homer was just the 19th allowed by Yamamoto this season — and underscores why the 24-year-old remains the engine of the Reds’ offense.

    “Well, it’s fun to watch,” manager Terry Francona said of De La Cruz’s recent tear. “I mean, on a night that there wasn’t a lot of fun stuff to watch, it’s pretty impressive.”

    Milestones Continue to Accumulate

    The solo shot added another entry to De La Cruz’s growing list of franchise milestones. Beyond the home run streak, Wednesday’s blast marked his 223rd career extra-base hit, surpassing Dmitri Young for third-most by a switch-hitter in Reds history behind only Pete Rose (868) and Ron Oester (265).

    This performance follows a Tuesday night showcase that highlighted De La Cruz’s elite combination of power and arm strength. In addition to a 444-foot home run off Tarik Skubal — the longest hit at Dodger Stadium in 2026 — De La Cruz threw out Teoscar Hernández at the plate with a 102 mph relay strike, demonstrating how his game-breaking ability alters outcomes on both sides of the ball.