From a distance, Yoshinobu Yamamoto<\/a> doesn\u2019t look like someone who figures to contend in the coming years to be the best pitcher in the world.<\/p>\n He stands only 5-foot-10. He\u2019s not mean in the way frontline starters sometimes are. He\u2019s extremely considerate of others<\/a>, even people who offer minimal, if any, transactional value \u2014 or more precisely, his focus and confidence in his work don\u2019t blind him to their sensitivities.<\/p>\n Beneath the mask of normality, however, there is something in Yamamoto capable of fueling the kind of complete-game performance he delivered in the Dodgers\u2019 5-1 victory<\/a> over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 2 of the World Series.<\/p>\n Yamamoto wants to be great. Or perhaps he has to be.<\/p>\n Look, and you will see it. Listen, and you will hear it.<\/p>\n Yamamoto has often shared his admiration of Clayton Kershaw<\/a>, but it\u2019s clear he doesn\u2019t see him as just a mentor. He sees him as a benchmark by which should measure himself.<\/p>\n When Kershaw announced his retirement last month, Yamamoto spoke of how grateful he was to play alongside him for two years. He talked about how much he learned from him. What was particularly interesting was what he said after.<\/p>\n \u201cI think from my heart that I want to be an ace pitcher like Kershaw,\u201d Yamamoto said in Japanese, \u201cand I want to do my best to one day surpass my great senior.\u201d<\/p>\n Kershaw has 223 career victories. He won a most valuable player award. He won three Cy Young Awards.<\/p>\n Not only does Yamamoto want to be better than Kershaw, he\u2019s bold enough to state that ambition publicly.<\/p>\n Yamamoto did something Kershaw never did against the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series by pitching a complete game in the postseason.<\/p>\n Eleven days later, he did it again, this time against the Blue Jays in the World Series.<\/p>\n The last pitcher to throw a complete game in a World Series was Johnny Cueto, and he did it 10 years ago. The last pitcher to throw consecutive complete games in the postseason was Curt Schilling, and he did it 24 years ago.<\/p>\n Yamamoto was the Dodgers\u2019 most dependable starter in the regular season. As a second-year major leaguer, he made a team-high 30 starts, posting a 12-8 record with a 2.49 earned-run average.<\/p>\n Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto reacts to recording a strikeout to close out the first inning of Game 2 of the World Series on Saturday.<\/p>\n (Robert Gauthier \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n His game has reached another level in the postseason, and in doing so, he might have saved the Dodgers, who were in trouble after Blake Snell\u2019s implosion resulted in a loss in the opening game<\/a> of this World Series<\/p>\n \u201cI felt we had to win today no matter what,\u201d Yamamoto said.<\/p>\n With his 105-pitch masterpiece, Yamamoto spared manager Dave Roberts<\/a> the unpleasant duty of opening the gates to hell \u2014 pardon me, the bullpen \u2014 and tied the series at one game apiece. The next three games will be played at Dodger Stadium.<\/p>\n The historic performance by Yamamoto had an ominous start, as George Springer led off in the first inning with a double and advanced to third base on a single by Nathan Lukes.<\/p>\n Yamamoto escaped the jam by retiring Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Alejandro Kirk and Daulton Varsho in order, but his pitch count was already at 23.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t think I could get to the end,\u201d Yamamoto said.<\/p>\n The ever-optimistic Roberts was hopeful Yamamoto could complete six innings, which would task the bullpen with covering the last three. Roberts never had to prepare the smoke and mirrors required to navigate the final third of the game. Yamamoto gave up a run in the third inning but retired the last 20 batters he faced.<\/p>\n How he pitched reflected the reality of the Dodgers\u2019 bullpen situation \u2014 essentially, that converted starter Roki Sasaki<\/a> was the only reliever who could be trusted. Midway through the game, Yamamoto started throwing cutters, which induced contact and limited his pitch count.<\/p>\n \u201cFundamentally, my pitching style is to throw as much as I can in the strike zone,\u201d Yamamoto said. \u201cIt\u2019s a style in which I aim in the strike zone and throw with as much effort as I can.\u201d<\/p>\n Before this postseason, the last time Yamamoto pitched a complete game was in 2023, for the Orix Buffaloes of the Japanese league.<\/p>\n So when Yamamoto recorded the final out of his start against the Brewers, he forgot his custom of embracing the catcher.<\/p>\n \u201cIt had been so long, I didn\u2019t know where to go,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n