There will be 2 game 5s in the Divisional Series on Friday and Saturday to decide the teams who will advance to the Championship Series.
The Cleveland Guardians will face off against the Detroit Tigers on Saturday, while the Los Angeles Dodgers will play the San Diego Padres on Friday.
Friday’s game 5 between the Dodgers and Padres will include 3 of the best Major League Baseball players to come from Japan in today’s game.
Yu Darvish will take the mound for the Padres against Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Dodgers while Shohei Ohtani will act as the designated hitter for the Dodgers.
According to MLB on ‘X,’ Ohtani addresses what his thoughts are on facing Darvish in this pivotal game 5.
Shohei Ohtani wanted his fellow countrymen to face off in the #postseason.
It will happen tonight in #NLDS Game 5! 🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/YEicnT94FA
— MLB (@MLB) October 11, 2024
When asked about facing Darvish and what it meant to Ohtani, he stated that Darvish was his childhood hero, and he is honored and excited to be able to face him on Friday.
Darvish came into the league in 2012 while Ohtani came into the league in 2018.
Yamamoto is in his rookie season in Major League Baseball, and all 3 of these Japan natives will be on the same field Friday night in Los Angeles.
Darvish was lights out in his first appearance this series where he pitched 7.0 innings allowing 3 hits, 1 earned run, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts while earning the win.
Ohtani went 0-4 when facing off against Darvish in game 2, and he will need to figure out his fellow countrymen if the Dodgers hope to advance to the National League Championship Series.
In his career against Darvish, Ohtani has 1 hit in 8 at-bats with 3 strikeouts.
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