The Los Angeles Dodgers are headed back to the National League Championship Series after downing the Atlanta Braves, but before we get too invested in next week’s games, let’s look at who got us here in the first place.
We asked the fans who they thought was the MVP of the series, and you came back with a resounding answer: pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
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In our poll on X, formerly Twitter, more than 2,700 people responded Wednesdday night.
Yamamoto got almost 68% of the vote, with third baseman Max Muncy garnering just under 20% and first baseman Freddie Freeman getting
Why is Yoshinobu Yamamoto the fans’ pick for NLDS MVP?
When manager Dave Roberts first announced that the newly acquired ace Tarik Skubal would start Game 1 and fellow two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell would start Game 2, some questioned the decision.
After all, it’s not common for the reigning World Series MVP to be shelved until Game 3.
That decision, though, paid off in a big way.
Yamamoto was dominant in Game 3, striking out 10 and allowing four hits and one walk in his seven innings of work.
And that performance came amid the highest of stakes.
With the series tied 1-1 and Braves ace Chris Sale on the mound, the Dodgers knew they’d need a stellar performance from their own pitchers, and that’s exactly what they got.
How did Max Muncy play in the NLDS?
While Yamamoto won the vote, many commenters expressed support for third baseman Max Muncy to get the honor.
He hit three home runs in the four games of the series, including an insurance home run in the ninth inning of Game 4 that essentially slammed the door shut on the Braves’ hopes of a comeback.
“Max Muncy!!! He is steady and comes in clutch,” wrote @Bruinbuttercup55 on Instagram. “Just thinking of the struggles he had last year and how he has consistently shown up not only on the plate but on defense! Defense wins games!”
Muncy’s defense at third was certainly a factor in addition to his power hitting, but that hitting in particular has been a theme of his this year.
It’s why we here at Dodgers Nation named his three-homer game the best moment of the regular season.
Do you agree with your fellow fans that Yoshinobu Yamamoto was the NLDS MVP, or should it have been Max Muncy?
