What if Ohtani Yamamoto didn't dare imagine the 5-day rotation, and LAD didn't have Kershaw?
Aug 28, 2025
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It was difficult to play the full season as ace pitchers with tens of millions of dollars in annual salary groaned due to injuries and the rotation was disrupted. Injuries to key bullpen pitchers such as Michael Kopech and Brusdar Graterol were also significant, but the collapse of the starting lineup is the root cause.
Left-hander Blake Snell, who signed a five-year, $182 million FA contract last winter, threw two games after the opening of the season and suffered a shoulder injury that left him out for four months until early August. Tyler Glasnow had a long injury period this year as well. After suffering a right shoulder injury at the end of April, he returned in early July after rehabilitation for more than two months.
NPB 'Monster'Sasaki Rocky was not 'Complete Pitcher'. After posting an ERA of 4.72 in eight games, he disappeared after being diagnosed with right shoulder collision syndrome, and is currently rehabilitating at Triple-A.
Shohei Ohtani returned only in mid-June after undergoing elbow and shoulder surgeries for the last two years. However, Ohtani has yet to throw five innings. It should be considered that he will take the mound as an opener.
Dustin May, who had kept the rotation steadily, was sent to the Boston Red Sox, and rookie Emmett Sheehan joined the rotation in the second half of the year and only began to shine. Yamamoto Yoshinobu is the only one who has consistently kept the rotation from the beginning.
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Especially in August, the pitching is remarkable.
Kershaw took the mound against the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium on the 27th (Korea time) and led them to a 6-3 victory by blocking two hits and one run in five innings. He won all five games in August, gave up 20 hits and three walks in 28 ⅔ innings, striking out 19. He has five wins per month and a 1.88 ERA. NL'Pitcher of August' is a good candidate.
However, the game against Cincinnati on this day is the third game Kershaw took the mound after a four-day break for the third time this season. According to the rotation, he should have prepared for the game against Cincinnati on the 28th. There is a reason why the pitching date has been moved up. Because I had to give Ohtani another day of rest.
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Kershaw accepted. Like Ohtani, Kershaw is a pitcher who struggled with rehabilitation last winter. Nevertheless, he has already pitched three times after a four-day break. He has the principle that he has to pitch his pitches regardless of the rest period. He has also started several times after a three-day break in the postseason. No one can stop Kershaw's desire to win.
The short break period does not mean that the pitching content is jagged. Kershaw allowed one run in five innings in all three games he played after four days off. It is against the Cleveland Guardians on May 29, the St. Louis Cardinals on June 9, and the Cincinnati game on the same day. What a coincidence.
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Yamamoto marked an ERA of 3.07 in 26 games he took the mound after resting on the 5th and 2.72 in 17 games he took a break for more than 6 days. The more you rest, the better your grades are. This season, he marked 3.14 in 15 games after five days of rest and 2.54 in 10 games after throwing after more than six days of rest.
In the case of Ohtani, he only took three days off in 2023 when he was with the Los Angeles Angels, which was a very special case caused by the suspension of the game due to rain. Ohtani had a 2.26 ERA in 35 games he pitched after a five-day break and a 3.75 ERA in 60 games he took more than six days off. Unlike Yamamoto, a five-day break seems most suitable.
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This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
