San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers Starters Looking to Help Clinch NLCS Berth

Yu Darvish and Yoshinobu Yamamoto will have the weight of the world on their shoulders when they take the mound in Game 5 of a National League Divisional Series on Friday.

San Diego Padres starter Yu Darvish throws during Game 2 of a National League Divisional Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday at Dodger Stadium. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

It all comes down to this.

The San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers will play in Game 5 of a National League Divisional Series at 8:08 p.m. ET (5:08 p.m. PT) on Friday at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

The winner will meet the New York Mets in the National League Championship Series. The loser will go home, marking the end of a season filled with expectations.

For the critical elimination game, Yu Darvish will be the starting pitcher for the Padres and Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be on the mound for the Dodgers.

It will be both Darvish and Yamamoto's second start of the playoffs.

Darvish's last outing was in Game 2 of the NLDS on Sunday.

Darvish dominated and went seven innings in his last start. He allowed one earned run off three hits, walked two batters and struck out three.

Yu Darvish's 2Ks in the 4th. pic.twitter.com/uJF57BJHMF

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 20, 2024

Yamamoto's last outing wasn't nearly as successful as Darvish's.

The first-year major league hurler last threw in Game 1 of the NLDS on Saturday. He threw just three innings and allowed five earned runs off five hits (one home run). He walked two batters and fanned just one batter.

Welcome to Mannyopolis. pic.twitter.com/Pcdjn6rYgh

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) October 6, 2024

The two National League West foes are fighting for very different things on Friday, even with the same destination on the line.

Los Angeles is looking for its third NL pennant since 2018 and second World Series title since 2020. San Diego is chasing its first pennant since 1998 and its first World Series in team history.

This NLDS between the NL West rivals has already had everything that one could want from a playoff series.

There's been high-scoring games, solid pitching performances, tension between familiar rivals.

The only thing that's been missing is a winner.

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