Dodgers’ Stars Praise Each Other

The Los Angeles Dodgers have an impressive roster in Major League Baseball, yet their MVP players still find time to commend one another.

Mookie Betts offered high praise for fellow teammate and World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

“He threw as well as he did last year, right? Then he showed us what he could do in the postseason, and now he’s back doing his thing,” Betts said during an episode of the On Base with Mookie Betts podcast.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone maintain their health and energy like this for such a long stretch,” he added.

This season, Yamamoto has pitched 104.2 innings across 16 starts, holding a 2.49 ERA and recording 100 strikeouts. He’s also gearing up for his second consecutive All-Star appearance next week. In a game against the Chicago White Sox last month, he was just three outs away from achieving a no-hitter when Tristan Peters hit a home run.

Looking back at the previous season, Yamamoto posted a notable regular season ERA of 2.49 and struck out 201 batters in 173.2 innings.

Without Yamamoto’s stellar performances in the postseason, the Dodgers likely wouldn’t have captured their second consecutive championship. Last October, he achieved a record of 5 wins and 1 loss with an impressive 1.45 ERA, which ultimately earned him the World Series MVP title.

He entered Game 7 without any rest and solidified his place in the Dodgers’ history by successfully navigating the Toronto Blue Jays’ lineup in the final innings. Remarkably, he has managed to avoid significant injuries so far, both last season and in 2026.

Betts attributes Yamamoto’s achievements to the intense training regimen they incorporated this spring, even adapting some of Yamamoto’s practices into his own routine.

Yamamoto’s trainer, Sensei Yada, has helped Betts with a javelin throwing routine aimed at enhancing shoulder strength and improving his throwing technique.

While Betts’ unprecedented shift from right field to full-time shortstop is often overlooked, he has truly excelled in the role, earning six Gold Glove Awards as a right fielder.

The Dodgers currently boast the best record in the National League at 60-32. With superstars like Yamamoto and Betts contributing to the team’s winning culture, the back-to-back champions are eyeing a three-peat this season. It’s quite possible they will strengthen their lineup even further before the trade deadline this summer.