Will Smith's Crazy Message Helped Yoshinobu Yamamoto Deliver in World Series

Dodgers catcher's suggestion to be ready for Game 7 led to Yamamoto's MVP performance

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith revealed that he told pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto to "just be ready for Game 7" of the 2025 World Series, even though Yamamoto had just pitched in Game 6. Yamamoto looked at Smith "like I'm absolutely crazy" at the time, but went on to pitch 2.2 innings on zero days of rest to close out the series and earn World Series MVP honors.

Why it matters

Yamamoto's heroic performance in the World Series, including his willingness to pitch on short rest, was a key factor in the Dodgers' championship. Smith's unorthodox message to Yamamoto showed the team's trust in the star pitcher and highlighted the strong communication and chemistry within the Dodgers' clubhouse.

The details

Signed to the richest contract for a starting pitcher in MLB history, Yamamoto more than lived up to the billing of staff ace in the 2025 postseason. After some early struggles, he delivered back-to-back complete games in the NLCS and World Series to help the Dodgers reach Game 7. With the Dodgers on the brink of elimination, Yamamoto then pitched 6 innings of 1-run ball in Game 6 before closing out the series with 2.2 innings on zero days of rest in Game 7.

  • Yamamoto pitched a scoreless outing in the Wild Card Series.
  • Yamamoto struggled against the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS.
  • Yamamoto delivered back-to-back complete games in the NLCS and World Series.
  • Yamamoto pitched 6 innings of 1-run ball in Game 6 of the World Series.
  • Yamamoto pitched 2.2 innings on zero days of rest to close out Game 7 of the World Series.

The players

Will Smith

The Los Angeles Dodgers catcher who told Yoshinobu Yamamoto to be prepared to pitch again in Game 7 of the 2025 World Series.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto

The Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher who was signed to the richest contract for a starting pitcher in MLB history and delivered a historic performance in the 2025 World Series, including pitching on zero days of rest to close out the series and earn MVP honors.

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What they’re saying

“I told him after Game 6, when he had just come back again or whatever, I was like, 'Hey, just be ready for Game 7. You never know.' And he's looking at me like I'm absolutely crazy. Sure enough, he's out there. What he did that whole postseason, during the World Series, just mowing guys down and getting out there, it was incredible. We needed him.”

— Will Smith, Los Angeles Dodgers Catcher (MLB Network)

“When I started in the bullpen before I went in, to be honest, I was not really sure if I could pitch up there to my best ability. But as I started getting warmed up, I started making a little bit of an adjustment, and then I started thinking I can go in and do my job.”

— Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Yoshihiro Sonoda (Interpreter)

What’s next

The Dodgers and Yamamoto will look to defend their World Series title in the 2026 season.

The takeaway

Will Smith's unorthodox message to Yoshinobu Yamamoto demonstrated the strong communication and trust within the Dodgers' clubhouse, which enabled the team to overcome adversity and Yamamoto to deliver a historic World Series performance that led to the championship.