Dodgers' biggest problem with Yoshinobu Yamamoto should now be grave playoff concern

The Dodgers ended up walking away from their weekend series against the Giants with a win, but the opener on Friday was a spectacular failure for LA, and one that fans have become all too accustomed to seeing.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto gave the Dodgers seven innings of one-run baseball. He only walked a single batter and struck out 10. The offense, in turn, gave him just a single run in support — and on a Michael Conforto homer, of all things — and Tanner Scott fell apart (again) in extra innings, giving up a walk-off grand slam to Patrick Bailey, a guy with a career .628 OPS.

The bullpen's struggles as of late have been well-documented, and it's categorically insane that this is the second time in a row that relievers have spoiled a gem of an outing from Yamamoto, but the Dodgers' failure to provide run support on Friday is the continuation of a running theme with him.

Yamamoto has pitched 17 quality starts this season. Within those starts, a lack of help from the Dodgers' offense has tagged him with two losses and six no-decisions, four of which turned into losses for LA. They've occasionally been able to come alive in later innings, but the Dodgers have given Yamamoto five or more runs of support only three times in his total 28 starts this season.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto continues to be plagued by lack of run support from Dodgers' offense

Paul Skenes is, far and away, the NL Cy Young favorite, and there are a lot of other great pitchers in the NL this year, but Yamamoto should get Cy Young votes for what is currently a 2.66 ERA across 162 1/3 innings pitched season. He's the only pitcher in the Dodgers' rotation that has managed to stay healthy all year and is tied for fifth among those who qualify in quality starts. He has the sixth-lowest ERA among qualified starters.

Another stat to put this into context: Clayton Kershaw has made eight fewer starts than Yamamoto and nine fewer quality starts for a 3.53 ERA. He has a 10-2 record to Yamamoto's 11-8. The Dodgers' offense shows up for Kershaw, but they're not showing up for Yamamoto.

Yamamoto is the Dodgers' indisputable ace, and they are going to want to get him onto the mound at every opportunity during the postseason. But if this is a trend that continues, it could be disastrous for their postseason hopes.