Dodgers turn to Yamamoto against Darvish in NLDS clincher

LOS ANGELES -- Yoshinobu Yamamoto will start for the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 of the National League Division Series, pitching against San Diego Padres right-hander Yu Darvish in a matchup fellow Japanese star Shohei Ohtani has openly clamored for.

Yamamoto versus Darvish in a winner-take-all game from Dodger Stadium on Friday night will mark the first matchup of Japanese-born starting pitchers in MLB postseason history, according to ESPN Research.

Yamamoto could have pitched against Darvish in Sunday's Game 2, but the Dodgers used Yamamoto in the opener and instead went with Jack Flaherty. Both were available for Game 5, while Dodgers manager Dave Roberts also threw out the possibility of a bullpen game and was still undecided about the team's plans during Thursday's workout.

Yamamoto, Roberts said, was "very comfortable" with the idea of coming out of the bullpen, but the Dodgers ultimately chose to start him. Still, his leash will probably be short. Yamamoto was charged with five runs in three innings against the Padres in Game 1, and the Dodgers -- coming off a Game 4 victory that saw eight relievers combine for a shutout -- will probably turn to their bullpen at the first sign of trouble.

Darvish pitched seven innings of one-run ball from Dodger Stadium in Game 2 and has held Ohtani to one hit in eight at-bats this season, striking him out three times. At the start of the NLDS, Ohtani called Darvish his "childhood hero" and said his "personal hope was that Darvish would have faced [off] against Yoshinobu."

He will now get his wish.

Asked Thursday what has stood out about his at-bats against Darvish, Ohtani, speaking through an interpreter, said: "Obviously he's a really good pitcher and pitched well against us. I think he's also very crafty, as well, so there isn't exactly one specific thing that really stands out. But personally I'm really excited that he's going to perhaps be facing Yoshinobu."