Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes, left, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, center, and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts look on during a workout on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are preparing for a best-of-five National League Division Series against the rival San Diego Padres that begins Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas runs the bases as teammates watch during a workout on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are preparing for a best-of-five National League Division Series against the rival San Diego Padres that begins Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers infielder Max Muncy throws a ball during a workout on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are preparing for a best-of-five National League Division Series against the rival San Diego Padres that begins Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, left, swings a weighted bat as he speaks with Manager Dave Roberts during a workout on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are preparing for a best-of-five National League Division Series against the rival San Diego Padres that begins Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages, right, talks with first base coach Clayton McCullough during a workout on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are preparing for a best-of-five National League Division Series against the rival San Diego Padres that begins Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers utility player Kike Hernández makes a relay throw to home during a workout on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are preparing for a best-of-five National League Division Series against the rival San Diego Padres that begins Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers grounds crew members paint the postseason logo on the field before a team workout on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are preparing for a best-of-five National League Division Series against the rival San Diego Padres that begins Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Dodgers infielder Max Muncy, center, stands with some of his teammates during a workout on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are preparing for a best-of-five National League Division Series against the rival San Diego Padres that begins Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is seen during a workout on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are preparing for a best-of-five National League Division Series against the rival San Diego Padres that begins Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto throws in the outfield during a workout on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. Yamamoto will now start Game 1 of the best-of-five National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres on Saturday night. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers utility player Kike Hernández waits his turn to hit during a workout on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are preparing for a best-of-five National League Division Series against the rival San Diego Padres that begins Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers players look through the bullpen fence during a workout on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are preparing for a best-of-five National League Division Series against the rival San Diego Padres that begins Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas runs the bases as teammates watch during a workout on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are preparing for a best-of-five National League Division Series against the rival San Diego Padres that begins Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas walks on the infield during a workout on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are preparing for a best-of-five National League Division Series against the rival San Diego Padres that begins Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers grounds crew members paint the team logo on the field during a workout on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are preparing for a best-of-five National League Division Series against the rival San Diego Padres that begins Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw sits on the field during a workout on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are preparing for a best-of-five National League Division Series against the rival San Diego Padres that begins Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A Dodgers grounds crew member paints a logo on the field during a workout on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are preparing for a best-of-five National League Division Series against the rival San Diego Padres that begins Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Dodgers’ Kike Hernández gestures as he runs during a workout on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are preparing for a best-of-five National League Division Series against the rival San Diego Padres that begins Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, left, speaks with outfielder Teoscar Hernández during a workout on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are preparing for a best-of-five National League Division Series against the rival San Diego Padres that begins Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, right, speaks with outfielder Teoscar Hernández during a workout on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are preparing for a best-of-five National League Division Series against the rival San Diego Padres that begins Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas, center, runs the bases as teammates watch during a workout on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are preparing for a best-of-five National League Division Series against the rival San Diego Padres that begins Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas walks on the infield during a workout on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are preparing for a best-of-five National League Division Series against the rival San Diego Padres that begins Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas speaks to reporters during a workout on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are preparing for a best-of-five National League Division Series against the rival San Diego Padres that begins Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto throws in the outfield during a workout on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. Yamamoto will now start Game 1 of the best-of-five National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres on Saturday night. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, left, stands with Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman during a workout on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are preparing for a best-of-five National League Division Series against the rival San Diego Padres that begins Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw warms up in the outfield during a workout on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are preparing for a best-of-five National League Division Series against the rival San Diego Padres that begins Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, left, speaks with pitcher Clayton Kershaw during a workout on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are preparing for a best-of-five National League Division Series against the rival San Diego Padres that begins Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, left, swings a weighted bat as he speaks with Manager Dave Roberts during a workout on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are preparing for a best-of-five National League Division Series against the rival San Diego Padres that begins Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas goes through a fielding drill during a workout on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are preparing for a best-of-five National League Division Series against the rival San Diego Padres that begins Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw walks on the field during a workout on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are preparing for a best-of-five National League Division Series against the rival San Diego Padres that begins Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A Dodgers grounds crew member paints the postseason logo on the field before a team workout on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are preparing for a best-of-five National League Division Series against the rival San Diego Padres that begins Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
A Dodgers hat and bat sit on the turf during a workout on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are preparing for a best-of-five National League Division Series against the rival San Diego Padres that begins Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers grounds crew members paint the postseason logo on the field before a team workout on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are preparing for a best-of-five National League Division Series against the rival San Diego Padres that begins Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
1 of 33
Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes, left, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, center, and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts look on during a workout on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are preparing for a best-of-five National League Division Series against the rival San Diego Padres that begins Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
LOS ANGELES — It wouldn’t be a Dodgers’ postseason without an unexpected pitching choice.
Rookie right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto will start Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres on Saturday night, not Jack Flaherty as had been expected – and even suggested by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts last week and General Manager Brandon Gomes on Wednesday.
Flaherty, the right-hander who was acquired from the Detroit Tigers at the trade deadline, will start Game 2 on Sunday instead.
The move creates more “options” for a potential winner-take-all Game 5, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman explained during Thursday’s workout at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers have not started Yamamoto – who signed a record-setting 12-year, $325 million contract in December – on fewer than five days of rest all season, keeping his schedule as close to the once-a-week rotation he was familiar with in Japan. If he started Game 2, he would be on four days of rest for a Game 5. Now both Yamamoto (on five days of rest) and Flaherty (on four days of rest) will be available for a potential Game 5 – with the other ready to start Game 1 of a best-of-seven NL Championship Series if the Dodgers advance.
“It just creates options,” Friedman said. “If there is a Game 5, depending on the usage of our ’pen, we can have those guys take down the game, we can have just one of them with our ’pen. It just creates flexibility for things that we can’t possibly know right now, which is, how is our pitching used in Games 1 through 4? And just having as many options as we can.”
Friedman would not rule out the possibility of Yamamoto – who went 7-2 with a 3.00 ERA in 18 starts this season – pitching on four days of rest at some point during the postseason.
“He was great,” Friedman said of Yamamoto’s reaction to the assignment. “He was like, ‘I was going to throw a ’pen either today or tomorrow, I’m doing it today. I’m great. I’m ready for whatever you guys want.’ He was excited.
“Walked through the logic. Everyone got it. They were excited about it.”
“To go into a hostile environment like that and see him elevate his game – we talked about it at the time, that’s not an easy thing to do, especially the first time,” Friedman said. “The one thing that we feel really confident about is the moment is not going to affect him. He’s going to take it in and feed on that adrenaline and do what he does.”
“I think Yoshi and Jack are obviously going to pitch the first two games and feel like they’ll absolutely have us in position to win a game,” Friedman said.
Flaherty, a former Harvard-Westlake star, has gone 6-2 with a 3.58 ERA in 10 starts for the Dodgers.
Gomes said on Wednesday that the Dodgers were still considering how they will approach Games 3 and 4 with Walker Buehler and Landon Knack involved in some way.