MLB: Los Angeles Dodgers at St. Louis Cardinals Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Dodgers Pitcher Shares Frustration With Shocking Lack Of Offense

Originally posted on LAFB Network | By Ryan Anderson | Last updated Jun 9, 2025 12:12 AM ET

Yoshinobu Yamamoto has quietly emerged as the stabilizing force in a Los Angeles Dodgers rotation riddled with uncertainty. On Saturday at Busch Stadium, the Japanese ace delivered another gem—six scoreless innings, nine strikeouts, and just four hits allowed. Yet, the Dodgers fell 2-1 in walk-off fashion to the Cardinals, their fourth such loss of the season.

The defeat wasn’t on Yamamoto. Once again, the Dodgers’ offense came up short. Despite entering the weekend as MLB’s top team with runners in scoring position, they went a combined 1-for-25 with RISP in the first two games of the series, according to Dodgers Nation. Yamamoto, ever poised, offered little frustration after the loss. “Sometimes they have my back. Sometimes they struggle,” he said through an interpreter. “It’s just part of the game.”

Dodgers Waste Yamamoto’s Masterclass in Brutal Walk-Off Loss

Dodgers Pitcher Shares Frustration With Shocking Lack Of Offense 1 Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

His record—6-4 with a 2.20 ERA and 86 strikeouts in 73.2 innings—doesn’t fully reflect his dominance. In eight of his 13 starts, the Dodgers have scored one or zero runs while he’s been on the mound. Saturday was no different. The Dodgers missed several chances, including leaving the bases loaded in the third and stranding multiple runners in nearly every inning.

Yamamoto leaned heavily on his splitter, particularly in high-leverage moments. In a critical early sequence, he struck out Lars Nootbaar with three consecutive splitters after falling behind in the count, stranding the bases loaded. That moment sparked a stretch in which he retired seven in a row. Any lingering concern over a minor hip issue from late May was put to rest.

But brilliance on the mound means little without support. Erick Fedde kept the Dodgers quiet through the early innings, and even with multiple late opportunities—including infield singles and stolen bases—the lineup failed to deliver.

The decisive moment came in the ninth, when a deflected comebacker and a rushed throw from Ben Casparius set up the Cardinals’ game-winner. Shohei Ohtani had tied the game earlier in the inning, scoring on a wild pitch. But Nolan Arenado’s single off Casparius sealed another frustrating loss.

While Yamamoto continues to pitch like one of the National League’s best, the Dodgers must solve their recurring issues with timely hitting. Without it, even their ace can only take them so far.

This article first appeared on LAFB Network and was syndicated with permission.

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