LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers invested $325 million to win the bidding war for Yoshinobu Yamamoto last winter, and they are relying on him for their most critical game of the season on Friday.

Manager Dave Roberts was cautious about revealing details on Thursday evening, stating only that Yamamoto would play a role in the decisive Game 5 against the San Diego Padres. Hours later, the Dodgers confirmed the news.

“It’s clear that Yoshinobu will be part of our plan,” Roberts mentioned before the official announcement. “I’m uncertain about how we will arrange the relievers around him, but there are six or seven pitchers available, so I’m confident about our bullpen’s depth.”

“We’re still discussing how to incorporate Yoshinobu into our strategy.”

The Dodgers felt confident after witnessing their bullpen excel against the Padres in Games 3 and 4 of the National League Division Series, where San Diego only managed to score in one out of 17 innings.

If the Dodgers’ bullpen hadn’t been performing so impressively in this series, they might have opted for a different approach. In their two wins, the bullpen threw 15 consecutive scoreless innings.

“Our bullpen is something special,” left-handed reliever Alex Vesia said. “We’ve got eight, nine, or even ten guys ready to handle intense situations, and it clearly shows. We have various ways to write our strategy to our advantage.”

After all, why fix something that isn’t broken?

“It’s definitely working, no doubt about that,” said Dodgers reliever Ryan Brasier, who started Game 4 and retired the four batters he faced. “We have a very close-knit group with a solid game plan to communicate what’s on deck.”

The only downside of a bullpen game for Brasier is that after he finishes pitching early, he has to sit on the bench instead of being with his fellow pitchers in the bullpen.

“That part is a drag because I get really bored sitting down after pitching,” Brasier said with a laugh. “I’m missing out on hanging out with my buddies in the bullpen when I start.”

In Game 4, the Dodgers used eight different pitchers, just one shy of tying the postseason record for a shutout. The only remaining suspense is figuring out which pitchers Roberts will assign to which batters and at what time.

The Dodgers took a unique approach to the typical bullpen game on Wednesday, deploying their high-pressure relievers earlier rather than waiting until the game’s end.

“I’ve shown I can trust every player in tense situations,” Roberts said. “This gives us a level of flexibility. When you rely on the same pitchers for high-stakes moments in the playoffs, it can wear you down.”

“This year, we have a diverse set of options that we can utilize in specific scenarios.”

Conversely, the Padres are keeping things straightforward without any tricks or hidden strategies.

They have confirmed that Yu Darvish will be their starter, with no deception involved.

“Every team operates in its own way,” Padres manager Shildt remarked. “We adopt a straightforward approach, much like Vince Lombardi’s famous power sweep.”

It’s the same lineup that struggled in most of their innings in the two games played in San Diego, but it’s also one of the strongest in major league baseball.

“This is our identity,” Shildt stated. “We will compete and perform. If we do, we’ll shake hands and celebrate with champagne.”

The Padres will be counting on Darvish, who excelled against the Dodgers in their 10-2 win in Game 2, allowing only three hits and one run over seven innings.

Though he is 0-4 in elimination games, in his last six postseason starts since the 2017 World Series (0-2 with a 21.60 ERA against the Dodgers), he has achieved a 3-2 record with a 2.56 ERA, giving up 28 hits and striking out 32 batters.

Darvish also has an impressive history against the Dodgers, holding a 2.35 ERA in 17 career starts and winning the two postseason games he has pitched against them.

“It could be the experience I’ve gained leading up to this point that is allowing me to feel composed right now,” Darvish commented.

The only potential source of nerves might stem from wondering how baseball fans in Japan will react to witnessing two of their leading pitchers facing off.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for us to compete against each other in Game 5 of the NLDS,” Darvish stated. “At a personal level, we are truly good friends. Just being able to pitch in the same playoff game is a significant moment for us.”

The Padres are hoping for a repeat of past successes, having triumphed in their last three winner-take-all matches during the franchise’s history. Meanwhile, the Dodgers are eager to clinch their first postseason series win at home before their fans since 2013, even though they did secure a victory in the NL wild-card game in 2021.

“We have a team full of hard workers and fighters,” said Mookie Betts, the right fielder for the Dodgers. “They are a formidable opponent. We anticipated that this would not come easily. Nothing is handed to you. You have to make the best of the situation you’re in and give it your all.”

“And that’s exactly what we’ve been doing.”

Jackson Merrill, center fielder for the Padres, stated: “It doesn’t matter if we’re on our last chance. They’re in the same position as us.”

It’s a win-or-go-home scenario.

What more could anyone ask for?