Dodgers give Shohei Ohtani his wish with NLDS Game 5 pitching plan vs. Padres

Los Angeles Dodgers' superstar Shohei Ohtani got his wish. Prior to the start of the National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres, Ohtani voiced his desire to see Yoshinobu Yamamoto oppose his fellow countryman Yu Darvish. That's exactly what we'll see for Game 5 of the NLDS, with the winner set to take on the New York Mets in the NLCS. The stakes could not be higher.

It shouldn't come as a surprise to see Yamamoto's name penciled in as the Dodgers' starter for the deciding game before what's sure to be a raucous crowd at Chavez Ravine on Friday night. Dave Roberts was a bit coy regarding this decision prior the actual announcement, saying only that Yamamoto would pitch in some capacity. But this was always the plan, even if Roberts didn't want to say it out loud.

Dodgers give Shohei Ohtani his wish with NLDS Game 5 pitching plan vs. Padres

Quite honestly, this is the pitching matchup that most baseball fans were looking forward to earlier in the week when Yamamoto and Darvish were slated to go head-to-head in Game 2 of the NLDS. But Roberts flipped the script and moved Yamamoto up a day, replacing him with Jack Flaherty.

Both Yamamoto and Darvish helped lead their teams to victory during their respective starts, but the Dodgers' starter did not get the W. Though Yamamoto struggled in Game 1, the Dodgers were able to scratch out a win against the Padres with a 7-5 victory. Yamamoto made it through just three innings and allowed five earned runs. LA will be hoping for a better performance from the 26-year-old on Friday night. Conversely, Darvish was dominant in Game 2, as Los Angeles' bats went quiet, recording just one run on three hits.

Fans shouldn't expect either manager to allow his starter to struggle on Friday night. With Thursday's off day, both bullpens are fully rested and will likely be called upon at the first sign of trouble. That's honestly a good thing for a Dodgers' relief corps that has shut down the Friars over the past two games, including a shutout victory in Game 4 on the road in San Diego.

While the Padres are looking to slay the dragon, the Dodgers are hoping to get back to the NLCS for the first time since 2021. Ohtani got his wish, but in order for LA to advance, he'll need a better performance than what he put forth in Game 2 against Darvish. The Padres' right-hander sent Ohtani back to the dugout each of the three times he stepped into the batter's box. Dodgers fans will be looking for a different result in Game 5.

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