FOX Sports and Cosm are partnering to bring you the World Series on FOX like you’ve never seen it before. Experience the excitement and action of the Fall Classic between the Yankees vs. Dodgers in Shared Reality at Cosm locations in Los Angeles & Dallas.
Cosm is redefining content and the fan experience, and reimagining how we share it with others. Cosm’s revolutionary technology and state-of-the-art venues immerse and transport you into the content, putting you in the front row of a stadium or arena. And no matter where you are in the venue, you can enjoy in-house dining and a full bar service.
What is Shared Reality?
Shared Reality gives you the immersive experience of augmented or virtual reality but on a more immense scale. It facilitates real-time interaction, providing a communal experience with your friends and fellow fans.
Where is Cosm located?
Cosm Los Angeles is located at 1252 District Drive, Inglewood, CA 90305, in the Hollywood Park district near iconic landmarks such as SoFi Stadium. For further information on Cosm LA, click here.
Cosm Dallas is located at 5776 Grandscape Blvd., The Colony, TX 75056, in the Grandscape district near iconic landmarks such as the Nebraska Furniture Mart. For further information on Cosm Dallas, click here.
Information courtesy of Cosm.
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After an exhilarating October of playoff baseball, the World Series begins Friday with another chapter in the storied rivalry between the Yankees and the Dodgers.
The history, the tradition, iconic uniforms and superstars on both teams — what more could we possibly ask for as baseball fans?
This will be the 12th all-time meeting between the Yankees and the Dodgers in the Fall Classic, and there will be a World Series-record five former MVPs between the two teams (Ohtani, Betts, Freeman, Judge and Stanton).
And although it won’t be announced until weeks after this series ends, it is a mere formality that Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge will be the winners of this year’s relguar-season MVP awards, making it the first time in over a decade both MVPs are participating in the World Series (Buster Posey and Miguel Cabrera in 2012 being the last time).
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Not only do these two ball clubs have storied history, but they have some recent history as well.
The Dodgers visited the Bronx in early June, winning the first two games of a three-game series, before the Yankees salvaged the finale. It’s worth noting, however, that Yankees slugger Juan Soto missed that series with a forearm injury.
Was the series in June a precursor of things to come?
My bet here is “Dodgers in 7 at +475” (available at DraftKings).
How important is a Dodgers vs. Yankees World Series to the MLB?
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With all the star power on each side, we should be looking at an ultra-competitive series. The tiebreaker for me is the Yankees’ inability to get length from their starting pitchers.
Through nine postseason games, the Yankees’ starters are averaging 4.8 innings per start.
Against a ferocious lineup and with a bullpen that doesn’t have enough quality arms to compensate for short outings, I think the Dodgers’ vicious lineup is what ultimately carries them to a series victory.
The Yankees got here by beating AL Central opponents Cleveland and Kansas City. The step-up in class now as they face the Dodgers is a major jump in competition and one that will ultimately prove too much for a Yankees team that lacks great pitching.
In what should be a great series, I think the Dodgers win it in a winner-takes-all Game 7.
Will Hill, a contributor on the Bears Bets Podcast, has been betting on sports for over a decade. He is a betting analyst who has been a host on VSiN, as well as the Goldboys Network.
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Fernando Valenzuela will be honored by the Los Angeles Dodgers with a patch of his No. 34 on team uniforms during the World Series and the 2025 season.
The circular patch will be on jersey sleeves with the late pitcher’s No. 34 in Dodger blue with a white outline, surrounded by a black background and a blue outline. “FERNANDO” is in white capital letters above the number.
Valenzuela, the 1981 NL Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Award winner, died at age 63 on Tuesday, one day shy of the 43rd anniversary of his 147-pitch complete game that led the Dodgers over the Yankees in World Series Game 3. After losing the first two games at Yankee Stadium, the Dodgers won four in a row for their first title since 1965.
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A six-time All-Star, Valenzuela was 173-153 in 17 seasons, including 141-116 with the Dodgers from 1980-90. His flamboyant presence triggered “Fernandomania”among fans, and he worked for the team as a broadcaster from 2003 through 2024.
Anticipation for the 2024 World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees continues to build, even for those who aren’t paying at least $1,000 to attend in person.
Tickets to experience Friday’s Game 1 of the 2024 World Series in shared reality at the dome in Cosm Los Angeles sold out in seven minutes, Cosm and FOX Sports announced on Wednesday. General admission for Game 1 and all tickets for the rest of the series can be found here.
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Cosm previously partnered with FOX Sports to showcase Games 3 and 5 of the National League Championship Series between the Dodgers and New York Mets. Fans got an immersive experience watching Shohei Ohtani hit a three-run home run to power a Dodgers win in Game 3, and Pete Alonso do the same in a Game 5 Mets win. The Dodgers won the series in six games.
Cosm is redefining content and the fan experience, and reimagining how we share it with others. Cosm’s revolutionary technology and state-of-the-art venues immerse and transport you into the content, putting you in the front row of a stadium or arena. And no matter where you are in the venue, you can enjoy in-house dining and a full bar service.
What is Shared Reality?
Shared Reality gives you the immersive experience of augmented or virtual reality but on a more immense scale. It facilitates real-time interaction, providing a communal experience with your friends and fellow fans.
Where is Cosm located?
Cosm Los Angeles is located at 1252 District Drive, Inglewood, CA 90305, in the Hollywood Park district near iconic landmarks such as SoFi Stadium. For further information on Cosm LA, click here.
Cosm Dallas is located at 5776 Grandscape Blvd., The Colony, TX 75056, in the Grandscape district near iconic landmarks such as the Nebraska Furniture Mart. For further information on Cosm Dallas, click here.
Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto were the three best hitters in baseball this year. Mookie Betts, an MVP front-runner before being beset by injury, has found his superstar swing in the postseason.
The Dodgers‘ pitching staff already posted a record-tying 33 innings without allowing a run this October. The Yankees have surrendered three runs or fewer in five of their past seven games.
These are the two best teams in baseball, and they represent a historical and heavyweight matchup in the Fall Classic. So, who’s going to win, and how?
Thosar: Any comparison between these two teams is splitting hairs, but I’ll give the edge to the Yankees because Giancarlo Stanton is back to turning into Babe Ruth in the postseason. Stanton’s clutch power combined with Juan Soto’s confidence at the plate in high-pressure situations and Aaron Judge’s threat to reach base in every plate appearance makes the Yankees a force that is difficult to overcome for any pitching staff, let alone Los Angeles’ questionable arms.
The Yankees also have better depth in their lineup right now than they did for parts of the regular season, thanks to Gleyber Torres‘ excellent leadoff production (he and Judge both have seven walks this postseason) and Anthony Volpe taking better at-bats. On the flip side, the Dodgers overall have more depth in their lineup, with the bottom of the order being tough to navigate if guys like Max Muncy, Will Smith and Kiké Hernández are routinely coming through. But I still think the Yankees’ top hitters give them the ever-so-slight advantage here.
Kavner: The Dodgers. It doesn’t get better than the 1-2 punch of Juan Soto and Aaron Judge, and Giancarlo Stanton is blasting home runs seemingly every day this October, but the depth of the Dodgers’ lineup gives L.A. the edge as a whole. Kiké Hernández continues to find a new level this time of year, Tommy Edman just had more hits and RBIs than any player in the LCS, Max Muncy recently set a single-season postseason record by reaching base in 12 straight plate appearances, and the Dodgers scored an NLCS record 46 runs despite Teoscar Hernández going hitless in the first five games, Will Smith hitting .182 in the series and Freddie Freeman missing two of the last three games.
I haven’t even mentioned Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts, who combined for 17 hits — including eight extra-base hits — and 15 runs in the NLCS. The Dodgers had the highest OPS in MLB this season, and if there were any questions about which lineup was the scariest in the postseason field, they answered it this October. Most importantly, they’re batting .311 with runners in scoring position in the playoffs; the Yankees are hitting .181 in those situations.
2. Who has better pitching?
Kavner: The Yankees. Their starting pitching advantage mitigates any edge the Dodgers hold in the bullpen. One team will need to resort to at least one bullpen game. The other team’s fourth starter is an American League Rookie of the Year candidate. The Yankees will trot out last year’s Cy Young Award winner in Game 1. The Dodgers will turn to Jack Flaherty, who is coming off an outing in which he dealt with diminished velocity — which was a problem late in the year as well — and surrendered eight runs in three innings. Despite some encouraging signs from Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who was at his best earlier this year in the Bronx, the Yankees will arguably hold the upper hand in every starting pitching matchup this series.
The Dodgers have managed to get by despite up-and-down performances from each of their three starting pitchers — the way Yamamoto and Walker Buehler missed bats their last time out was especially encouraging — mostly because of a medley of relievers who at one point helped the club tie a postseason record with 33 consecutive scoreless innings. But the Dodgers’ scarcity of arms have forced manager Dave Roberts to make tough decisions, including punting on games when they get behind so as not to burn the high-leverage relievers they know they’ll need over the course of a long series. That’s a tough tightrope to walk, even for a team that can put up runs the way the Dodgers can. At some point in this series, they will likely need a lengthy performance from one of their starters — like the one Flaherty was able to deliver in Game 1 of the NLCS — to be the last team standing.
Thosar: The Yankees. Gerrit Cole is the best pitcher in the World Series, and the rotation arms behind him have been more encouraging than I expected going into the postseason. Carlos Rodón showed enormous growth between playoff starts, being able to contain his emotions and focus on just dealing, which led to solid results. Now, with Nestor Cortes likely coming back from injury, that gives the Yankees another left-handed weapon, most likely from the bullpen.
But out of all the factors here, I think what gives the Yankees the pitching advantage is simply that they do not have to rely on a bullpen game or two to get through a long series. There is something to be said about having big-name starters who can pitch deep into their outings, especially in the playoffs. And Yoshinobu Yamamoto is still working his way back up from injury, Jack Flaherty experienced a drop in velocity his last time out, and Walker Buehler can be turbulent depending on the day. The Dodgers’ bullpen was overused in the NLCS against the Mets. I think that might come back to haunt them.
3. Which manager is under more pressure to win this title?
Thosar: They’re both under pressure to win, but I think Aaron Boone is facing more of a burden since the Yankees haven’t won a World Series under his management, and not since 2009 overall. Consequently, this postseason has actually featured Boone’s best decision-making over his seven trips to the playoffs as Yankees skipper.
Boone, too, seemed to understand how much pressure he was facing to win a title this year because he made sure to spend ample time in spring training with former Yankees manager Joe Torre, who won the World Series four times with the Bronx Bombers. Boone said this week that he leaned on Torre a lot this year, and he has tried to emulate some of Torre’s demeanor in the dugout, as well as better understand his managing tactics.
Kavner: I lean Aaron Boone here, although there are a lot of parallels between the two beyond the fact that Boone and Dave Roberts both grew up in Southern California, concurrently attended rival colleges in USC and UCLA, respectively, and had defining moments as players in the postseason. They both have also been criticized for their team’s shortcomings in postseasons past, and both have done a tremendous job to quiet those critics this October.
In different circumstances, I might go with Roberts. A third straight NLDS knockout would have raised the alarms. But considering the job he did piecing together a beleaguered pitching staff to get to this point — seemingly pushing all the right buttons in the process — and how vital it is for the Yankees to strike now while they have Juan Soto, I think the answer is Boone.
4. Which team has a greater need for a big series from their 2024 MVP: the Dodgers with Shohei Ohtani or the Yankees with Aaron Judge?
Kavner: TheYankees. I mentioned that I don’t think their lineup is as deep, which puts more pressure on Judge to perform. He had some big moments in the ALCS, including homers in Games 2 and 3, but I don’t think the Yankees can survive without more production from the likely runaway AL MVP against a Dodgers team with far more offensive firepower than anything New York has seen thus far.
Thosar: It’s hard to imagine either of these teams winning the championship without big performances from their respective MVPs. But the way the Yankees have been winning this postseason, even when Judge wasn’t putting up the insane numbers we’ve been used to seeing from him, makes me think the Dodgers have a greater need for Ohtani to show up big in the World Series. The Japanese phenom ended the narrative that he could only hit with men on base when he launched a leadoff home run in Game 4 of the NLCS, and he’s even more dangerous with runners in scoring position.
When Ohtani is at his best, the Dodgers are seemingly always going to be on base doing their silly arm-wave thing, and I think that’s their recipe for success against the Yankees. A drop-off in production from Ohtani will put Los Angeles in a much tighter spot to win.
5. Who’s going to win the World Series? Who’ll be MVP?
Thosar: The Yankees, and Juan Soto. It’s not hard to imagine the World Series ending with Soto carrying the Yankees to a title in his first, and potentially only, season in New York. Remember that dramatic, theatrical seven-pitch at-bat he had against the Guardians‘ Hunter Gaddis in Game 5 of the ALCS that sent the Yankees to the Fall Classic? I’m expecting Soto to replicate that confidence and plate approach every single time he’s batting in the World Series. When the stakes are highest, Soto’s determination only seems to go up, too.
Kavner: I’ll take the Dodgers. There’s always the potential their starting pitching dooms them, but it hasn’t happened yet. I think Roberts has done a terrific job deploying his relievers at the right time and keeping his most trusted leverage arms as rested as possible, given the unfavorable circumstances. If they can get at least one lengthy starting pitching performance, that might be enough considering the way their offense is overwhelming opponents right now. They’re hitting in the clutch in a way they hadn’t in recent Octobers, and there seems to be a belief with this group that differs from previous iterations.
Ohtani went to the Dodgers for this opportunity, and all year he has delivered memorable performances in the biggest moments. He hit a walk-off grand slam to get to 40/40, had arguably the greatest single-game performance ever to get to 50/50, and now has hits in 18 of his past 23 at-bats with runners in scoring position. I think he leaves us with something special as World Series MVP, conjuring memories of his WBC performance (even if it’s only with the bat this time).
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Bonus: Which stadium offers more of a home-field advantage?
Kavner: This one’s tough for me to answer, having not been to Yankee Stadium before, but it’s worth noting how many veteran Dodgers players have made it a point to reference the atmosphere of the stadium on this run in particular. Sure, there was an embarrassing night in the Padres series. But the players can feel the desire of the fans, who weren’t able to celebrate the 2020 championship with a parade. “If there’s something that this crowd is, it’s hungry,” Kiké Hernández said.
During the deciding Game 5 of the NLDS, Max Muncy said he thought the home crowd matched or exceeded the intensity at Petco Park, which is saying something. “We kept coming back into the dugout saying, ‘Hey, look at these guys out there,” Muncy said. “The fans were going nuts. The stadium was shaking.” The Dodgers routinely lead the majors in attendance, this year included. With a capacity to hold 56,000, multiple opposing players have noted how Dodger Stadium feels like the fans are on top of you. I do think it makes a difference that the Dodgers get an extra game at home, where they were 52-29 this year.
Thosar: Yankee Stadium. The Bronx crowd’s raucous energy will be unmatched and could be quite intimidating for some Dodgers pitchers. Funnily enough, Judge and Stanton are both from California and will have a ton of family at Chavez Ravine in the World Series, so I think they’ll feel extra comfortable there and primed to deliver in front of their loved ones.
Deesha Thosar is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.
Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on Twitter at @RowanKavner.
Cole, a six-time All-Star who’s in his fifth season with the Yankees, missed the first 11 weeks of the MLB regular season due to an elbow injury on his throwing arm (right). In the 17 starts he made, the 2023 American League Cy Young winner posted a 3.41 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 99 strikeouts across 95.0 innings. He followed that up by posting a 3.31 ERA and 12 strikeouts across 16.1 innings in his first three postseason starts, highlighted by surrendering just one run in seven innings in New York’s closeout Game 4 victory over the Kansas City Royals in the AL Division Series.
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On the other hand, the Dodgers acquired Flaherty from the Detroit Tigers in July. In 10 regular-season starts for the Dodgers, Flaherty posted a 3.58 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 61 strikeouts across 55.1 innings. However, it has been a mixed bag in the postseason for Flaherty; he surrendered four runs and eight runs in separate outings that came in-between pitching seven scoreless innings against the New York Mets in Game 1 of the NL Championship Series, good for a combined 7.04 postseason ERA.
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Now that you have the background on both Game 1 starters, let’s go a little bit deeper and see how both teams performed against these two right-handers.
Here’s how Dodgers hitters have fared against Cole (Andy Pages has never faced him):
The Dodgers‘ superstars have delivered this postseason, at times overwhelming the competition. That advantage might not manifest or be as pronounced in the Fall Classic, as Los Angeles takes on the American League’s top-seeded New York Yankees.
The heavyweight matchup is sure to test the depth of both rosters. Here are five X-factors who could swing the 2024 World Series in the Dodgers’ favor.
Freeman said it’ll be “100 percent go” for him in Game 1, though it’s hard to know exactly what to expect. The Dodgers have survived two rounds of the playoffs despite a clearly diminished and hobbled version of their All-Star first baseman, who returned nine days after an ankle sprain and bone bruise that he said would typically require a 4-6 week recovery.
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Every step in the NLDS and NLCS appeared labored. When he managed to truck home from second to score a run in Game 1 of the NLCS, he needed Mookie Betts to catch him after crossing home plate. It’s the only run he has scored this postseason. He has gritted through the pain to start eight playoff games, serving as a source of inspiration within the clubhouse in the process, but he has finished only three of them. He missed two of the last three games of the NLCS, including the deciding Game 6.
Though he began the playoffs 6-for-17, all six of those hits were singles. He then went 1-for-15 over his final three games of the NLCS. Manager Dave Roberts noted that Freeman’s ankle appeared to be compromising his swing the longer the series progressed. If the week off can have him looking more like himself at the plate, it would be a gigantic boost to a juggernaut Dodgers offense that just set an NLCS record with 46 runs against the Mets.
This year has been a grind for Buehler, who hasn’t missed bats or commanded the baseball the way we’re accustomed to seeing in his return from a second Tommy John surgery. A strikeout rate that hovered above 26% in each of his first five seasons in the big leagues was down to a career-low 18.6% this year, and his 5.38 ERA told the story of a pitcher who could no longer overpower his opponents.
But after a lengthy search to find his mechanics, something seemed to click for him in a bullpen session in late August. He was far from perfect after that, but a 4.35 ERA over his final six regular-season starts represented a substantial improvement — enough for him to earn a spot in the club’s beleaguered playoff rotation. That, plus the Dodgers trusted his postseason pedigree. In 2018, he clinched the NL West for the Dodgers by winning a Game 163 tiebreaker, then threw seven scoreless innings in the World Series. Two years later, he struck out 10 in his lone start of the World Series to help the Dodgers best the Rays.
The bigger the game, the more he tends to rise to the occasion. In his last start of the 2024 regular season, Buehler was on the mound as the Dodgers clinched the division against the Padres. His first start of the postseason looked worse than the six runs in the box score displayed, as he was let down by his defense. In his last start, he found success with his breaking balls and struck out six Mets batters in four scoreless innings while getting 18 whiffs — his most in a game since the 2021 season. That’s a version of Buehler that could win a World Series game and end a sour season on a sweet note before he hits free agency.
Ever since Hernández started visualizing his postseason success in the 2017 NLCS, when he launched three homers in the game that would send the Dodgers to the World Series, he has been one of baseball’s best postseason performers. This year is no exception.
Really, though, his upward trend this year began shortly after the All-Star break, when he was diagnosed with astigmatism in his right eye and began wearing prescription glasses on the field. He had a .766 OPS in the second half and has carried that crescendo into another extraordinary October. He went from not starting any of the Dodgers’ first three games of the postseason to being a mainstay in the starting lineup after Miguel Rojas went out with injury, homering in a do-or-die Game 5 of the NLDS, going deep again in Game 3 of the NLCS, and hitting .303 overall this postseason. In his regular-season career, he has homered once every 29 at-bats. In his postseason career, he’s homering twice as often — about once every 14 at-bats.
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Even if Rojas and Gavin Lux are healthy enough to play in the World Series, the Dodgers might have to continue starting Hernández every night, considering the way he has performed. He transforms into an entirely different force this time of year, and odds are he’ll add another defining moment at some point this series.
While Yankees rookie catcher Austin Wells is getting his first taste of the playoffs, Smith is a seasoned veteran this time of year. Smith enjoyed some huge moments in postseasons past, including a home run in Game 5 of the 2020 NLCS against the Braves reliever who shared his same name, a hit that might have saved the Dodgers’ season en route to a 3-1 comeback in the series and a World Series triumph. There was no question at the All-Star break that Smith and Brewers catcher William Contreras were the two best players at their position in the National League.
Since then, though, Smith has endured some uncharacteristic struggles. His .838 OPS in the first half was more than 200 points lower the rest of the way. Those struggles continued into October. He enters the World Series hitting .158 this postseason. However, two of his six hits have left the yard, including a home run in the NLCS clincher that could help get the scuffling catcher back on track. He has been one of the best hitters at his position since entering the league in 2019, and his experience and poise in these spots could prove useful.
There was a lot of attention at the All-Star break on the additions of Jack Flaherty and Michael Kopech, considering the way they could help lift the Dodgers’ depleted pitching staff. But it was a more under-the-radar acquisition who became the NLCS MVP. In Edman, the Dodgers added a versatile defensive piece who, at the time of the deadline, had not yet played a game this season as he rehabbed a surgically-repaired wrist and an ankle injury. His ability to play both center field and shortstop was additive to a Dodgers team that needed help at both spots.
It then became essential with starting shortstop Miguel Rojas banged up in October. What Edman has provided with his bat, though, has been the surprise. He led all players in the LCS with 11 hits and tied Corey Seager’s NLCS franchise record with 11 RBIs. If a left-hander’s on the mound, Edman is a force. The switch-hitter had a 1.299 OPS against southpaws this year compared to a .523 mark against righties. He went 7-for-12 with four extra-base hits against lefties in the NLCS, taking advantage of his opportunities against left-handed starters Sean Manaea and Jose Quintana, while he was 4-for-15 with no extra-base hits against righties. While he could struggle against the Yankees’ more right-handed heavy rotation, Edman’s matchup against the left-handed Carlos Rodón will be one to watch.
Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on Twitter at @RowanKavner.
The Yankees have been involved in several close games this postseason. They’ve yet to be in a close series. That figures to change in the Fall Classic, as New York takes on the National League’s top-seeded Los Angeles Dodgers.
The heavyweight matchup is sure to test the depth of both rosters. Here are X-factors who could swing the 2024 World Series in the Yankees’ favor.
It will be important for the Yankees to save their bullpen arms in a long series against the potent Dodgers, so any extra length their starters can give will go a long way. That starts with Gerrit Cole setting the tone in his Game 1 start, no doubt. But it will be equally important for Rodón to, at the very least, aim for a quality start in his first game of the Fall Classic. Rodón’s outings can be a bit of a roller-coaster if he’s struggling to focus and keep his emotions in check. But when he’s on, he’s worthy of being the ace of a pitching staff.
Fortunately for the left-hander, the Yankees don’t need him to be an ace to win their 28th World Series title. Really, he just needs to pitch like he did for half the season — when he recorded 16 quality starts out of a career-high 32 outings and 175 innings pitched. The Yankees have to hope all of that workload hasn’t caught up to him. Rodón said he watched the first six innings of Game 6 of the National League Championship Series between the Mets and Dodgers before he changed the channel to football, but what stood out to him was how obvious it was that right-hander Sean Manaea was gassed at this point in October.
Rodón registered an excellent outing sandwiched between two subpar starts this postseason. In the ALDS against the Royals, he was pulled after giving up four earned runs in just 3.2 innings. After six innings of one-run ball in his first start of the ALCS, he lasted just 4.2 innings in his second. Rodón noted how important the rest days were ahead of his first pitch in this series. And if he accomplishes his goal of pitching three times through the order, the Yankees and their entire pitching staff will be in better shape.
Stanton has tallied five home runs, 11 RBIs, 10 hits, five walks and six runs in nine playoff games this October. These are video-game numbers. Amid a roster full of players yearning to win the championship, Stanton has been the most vocal about how nothing — not even his insane stats — matters unless the Yankees finish the job. His deep-seated determination to win a title has carried him this far, but it will be truly fascinating if he can keep up this pace in the World Series.
If he can, the Yankees look unbeatable with a lineup that boasts Juan Soto and Aaron Judge before Stanton even gets to the on-deck circle. There’s been a lot of talk about Soto being the one that pushed the Yankees over the edge and into the Fall Classic, and in many ways, he has. But Soto is new around here, and the clubhouse respects what Stanton has had to overcome in the Bronx (years of booing because of his injuries and underperformance) to reach this point: American League Championship Series MVP. If Stanton’s next act can somehow top his last one, he’ll be carrying the offense to a ring.
Man, are the Yankees putting a ton of responsibility on this journeyman’s shoulders, and he has answered the bell almost every step of the way. Ever since the Yankees ended the Clay Holmes-closer experiment and promoted Weaver (a starter-turned-reliever) to begin earning saves, all he’s done is exceed expectations. Weaver entered the postseason with just four career saves — all of which were secured in the final month of the regular season — and it was a real question jowl he would fare in the postseason. Weaver quickly responded by pitching six scoreless innings and collecting four saves in his first five career playoff appearances.
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Proving he’s human, Weaver finally faltered in Game 3 of the ALCS, blowing his first save when he gave up a game-tying home run to Jhonkensy Noel in the ninth inning against the Guardians. But he bounced back in Game 5, pitching two scoreless innings, allowing just one hit to Cleveland and earning the win that sent the Yankees to the World Series. Up next, facing the star-studded Dodgers lineup will be the biggest challenge of his career. Weaver has surprised everyone down the stretch. Now, it’s tough to see New York winning without him playing a key role.
The Yankees veteran has had a love-hate relationship with the Bronx fan base — mostly driven by his 18 errors, the most of any second baseman in MLB this year — but he’s received nothing but support from those that know him best within the organization. That confidence from his manager and teammates seemed to spur a different level in Torres ever since he was moved up to the leadoff spot in mid-August. Torres’ .755 OPS, six home runs, 11 doubles, 25 walks and 22 RBIs over 56 games batting leadoff are by far his best numbers of any spot in the lineup. Since he started setting the table in front of Soto and Judge, he started drawing more walks, too.
We’ve seen how that enhanced plate approach has translated to this postseason; he’s drawn just as many walks (7) as Judge and Soto across nine games in the ALDS and ALCS. Torres’ bat provides another key element to a Yankees offense that is already plenty lethal without him. Not only will fans forgive and forget his rocky season if he continues to be productive in the World Series, but Torres is getting hot ahead of his upcoming free agency. After seven years in the Bronx, he’s forcing the Yankees front office to make a difficult decision. If he can continue doing his part at the top of the order, it’s getting easier to envision Torres in pinstripes next season and beyond.
The Yankees were a trade deadline winner with their acquisition of Chisholm proving to be a huge success right away. Chisholm slugged nine home runs and collected 14 RBIs in his first 20 games with the Bombers, all while stealing six bases and posting a 1.029 OPS. His jolt of power, speed and energy were exactly what the Yankees needed at the time — after falling into a rut around the All-Star break, they entered the stretch run with a legitimate new threat in their lineup. Then we saw Chisholm’s fire on the field after Maikel Garcia’s slide into Anthony Volpe in the ALDS against the Royals, and it provided another edge on a Yankees roster that is so buttoned up that it can sometimes come off as boring.
Chisholm, however, has cooled off considerably at the plate. He’s batting just .147 (5-for-34) with a .481 OPS, two walks and two stolen bases this postseason. When he does get on base, he’s still a menace on the basepaths. The Yankees don’t necessarily need Chisholm to display the power he did when initially acquired from Miami. They just need him to draw some walks and rip some singles so that others behind him can bring him in. That would be the best-case scenario for the bottom of the Yankees’ lineup, and perhaps their dangerous top.
Deesha Thosar is an MLB reporter for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.
The Los Angeles Dodgers face off with the New York Yankees in the World Series, and former Yankee player and Dodgers manager Don Mattingly discusses whether or not the Dodgers should move Shohei Ohtani down the batting order with Craig Carton, Danny Parkins, and Mark Schlereth.
Before the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees get set to meet in the Fall Classic for the first time since 1981, we spoke about the matchup with John Smoltz, who pitched in five different World Series during his Hall of Fame tenure with the Atlanta Braves.
Smoltz talked about how he’d try to approach facing the red-hot Giancarlo Stanton, how Juan Soto has changed the Yankees’ lineup, which relievers he’d use against Aaron Judge late in games, whether the Yankees’ right-handed pitchers can learn anything from Yu Darvish’s success against Shohei Ohtani and which Dodgers starter might be best equipped to take on the patient Yankees lineup.
The MLB on FOX analyst also gave his thoughts on the Dodgers’ bullpen games — which are likely to continue this series — if Yoshinobu Yamamoto should keep the same approach that brought him success earlier this year in the Bronx, and possible World Series MVPs.
Kavner: Giancarlo Stanton is having another big postseason. Why do you think he seems to find another gear in October? How would you go about pitching to him?
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Smoltz: When he’s healthy and he’s on time, he’s one of those unique hitters — so strong. He looks like he never uses anything but his upper body. But obviously, his legs are very important to him, and when he’s out of balance, it looks like he’s on roller skates, and his legs and feet are all over the place. When he’s in balance and on time, he can hit a 100 mph fastball at the top of the zone. He can hit 100 mph at the bottom of the zone. But you’ve really got to be able to get your secondary pitches out of the zone. If he doesn’t chase, you’re in trouble.
Right now, I don’t know what this time off is going to do for everybody, especially the Yankees. They’ve had longer time off, but he has been a tough out, and that’s what the Yankees have to have, because behind Aaron Judge is the key. If those hitters are able to be, let’s just say, normally good, then the Yankees are a tough lineup. But if the guys behind Judge don’t do the things that allow you to capitalize with men on, then you’re going to see Judge not pitched to a lot.
So, it’s a good thing for the Yankees that they got a couple guys behind him hot — I know they had to move Austin Wells down because he was not hot behind Judge — but that’s the secret. I mean, they’ve got the top-heavy, probably the two and three best hitters in the game, back to back. You can make an argument that when Freddie Freeman is healthy, the Dodgers’ top three are just as equal, if not better.
Kavner: Who would you be more careful with right now on the mound, Juan Soto or Aaron Judge?
Smoltz: The key any time that you’re facing them is don’t have traffic on base. So, early in the game, you’re navigating possible solo home runs. You want to stay away from the three-run homer, the two-run homer. And so, when Soto’s on his game, he’s much tougher to pitch to. Judge has the absolute monster ability of power and average. But again, if you’re going to pitch around anybody, after you’ve gone through Soto, you’ve got to pitch around Judge.
But it’s not an easy answer either way, because they bat back-to-back, and it doesn’t matter right or left. That’s the thing. Soto is so complete at a young age, and he’s so intense to the strike zone. He’s the reason they traded for a game-changing lineup. He literally changed the entire lineup for the New York Yankees single-handedly.
Kavner: The Dodgers have done a pretty good job of lining up their high-leverage relievers late in games to attack specific matchups. Who would you plan to use against Judge?
Smoltz: I think what they’re going to do is they’re not going to let any one guy face him three times. This is going to be a bullpen series again for the Dodgers. I like Evan Phillips’ breaking ball against Judge, the way that he angles and throws it, and Judge is so big that the bottom part of the strike zone gives him issues. And that’s really the key, depending on what umpire gives him the bottom of the zone. That could change how Dave Roberts utilizes him.
Blake Treinen, he’s got the equalizer going both ways. The interesting thing about Michael Kopech is he throws a lot of fastballs, even though he has the slider, and you can maybe get them at the top of the zone against Judge. But again, I think the breaking ball is the key on being able to get the angle that you want to get, to get Judge to swing outside of the plate.
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Kavner: We saw the Padres have Tanner Scott face Shohei Ohtani late in games in the NLDS, while the Mets didn’t exactly have the kind of left-handed weapon in their bullpen. Do you expect the Yankees to use Tim Hill as a possible Ohtani neutralizer? For their right-handed starters, is there anything they can learn from Yu Darvish’s success against him?
Smoltz: Yes on Hill. As far as the Yankees starters go, they don’t really have those kinds of pitches that Darvish has. Obviously, Garrett Cole is a stud. When he’s on his game, he can handle anybody. But it’s going to be a challenge, no doubt, because there’s no lefties in that rotation. If Nestor Cortes is going to be on the roster, he possibly comes into play, he’s funky enough that I don’t know if they’ll ID him as someone who could face Ohtani, but Hill for sure is going to be on Ohtani.
It’s going to be the same narrative for the Dodgers in this World Series — can the bottom of the lineup for the Dodgers create chaos so that it makes it much more difficult for Aaron Boone to navigate when that lineup turns over? At the start of the game, it is what it is. Ohtani didn’t get on base a ton when nobody was on until late in the series. He’s on a historic run with runners on. I would look for the Yankees to look at video and really dial in on what was happening with runners on with Ohtani versus what was happening with nobody on. There’s freedom to pitch to him with nobody on, and it gets a lot more stressful when there’s runners on.
Kavner: Which of the Dodgers’ three starting pitchers do you think is best equipped to have success against this very patient Yankees lineup? Is there any matchup you’d give the Dodgers the starting pitching edge in this series?
That’s going to be tough, because those guys have been up and down. I think Jack Flaherty has the opportunity to go to the deepest if he’s on. He just has more pitchability, he’s a starter that is closer to a throwback. I don’t think they’re going to let anybody go six innings at any point. That just doesn’t happen. I think the way the Dodgers are going to navigate this, in the games they have a chance to win, they’re going to push the throttle way down. They’re going to exit the starter and go right to the pen. And then the games that don’t look like they have a high chance of winning, they’re going to go a different route.
It’s not throwing away games, that’s not what I’m saying. It’s just navigating what you have and the best way to use your resources. I think they did it unbelievably well in the Mets series, but the games allowed them to do that. I don’t know that the games are going to allow them to do that in this series. That’s why it’s going to be much tougher for Dave Roberts — he did a fantastic job last series — but this will be his toughest challenge, because I don’t think the games are going to be lopsided like we saw in the last series.
Kavner: We know bullpen games can work in a vacuum, but the concern over time is that it’s just not a sustainable method. While Dave Roberts did a good job of making sure the high-leverage guys were well-rested during the NLCS, do you expect the Dodgers’ success with bullpen games to continue in the World Series?
When this started eight years ago, everybody got excited that this was a new age and a way to get it done. There’s certain markets that made this very popular. But you know what started happening? All those relievers started going down with Tommy John and getting hurt. It’s an unsustainable long-term philosophy — but the Dodgers don’t have any choice right now. Let’s not forget, they put together a superstar rotation that just happened to get hurt. They had a lot of guys in the mix. They had eight or nine starters. Now they’re down to three, and so this was not their desire. This was not in the plans, but it’s the only way they can go now. It’s the only way for them to be successful.
But it is not a blueprint. With this playoff system, it is not a blueprint to get through the whole postseason like this. These guys are gassed, and they’re doing an incredible job. But I promise you, the Dodgers would do backflips if a starter were to go six or seven innings. They would be the biggest cheerleaders in the world. I’ve been in both of those worlds, and there has never been a more exhausting time for me personally than when I was the closer. I got up and down and used, and people forget all that. So, to answer that question, there is no other choice for them. But this is not the blueprint they were looking for. Give them credit, though, for backlogging their bullpen as well with as many arms, just in case this were to happen.
Kavner: Yoshinobu Yamamoto had the best start of his young MLB career against the Yankees earlier this year in the Bronx. When you’ve had success against the team that you’re facing in the postseason, how much did that lift your confidence? Also, were you tempted to attack them the same way, or do you have to find a different way because they’ve already seen it?
If you’re simply healthy and you’re able to do the things you did last time, then you don’t make a change. But if you’re not as healthy, or things are different, or it’s a long time ago, you’re seeing a totally different pitcher, maybe. I only changed when I saw teams a lot. I remember seeing the Cincinnati Reds a lot during the year, and then I got them in the postseason, and I completely flipped the script. I know my pitching coach was having a heart attack because I didn’t throw one slider. I threw 35 straight fastballs or something to start the game when it was a heavy right-handed lineup, and he goes, “Are we going to throw a slider anytime soon?” And I said, “Absolutely, but I got a plan. I’m going to pitch them backwards.”
So, that’s the time you make ultimate changes. But I think the bottom line is you don’t really do it often. If you’ve had success, your mindset is an absolute: make the other team change before you necessarily change. Especially when — Yamamoto is starting Game 2 — it’s not in New York. It’s a little bit different in L.A., and the World Series is so much different than a regular-season game — and he was electric in New York.
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Kavner: I just covered the NLCS where, amid all the Dodgers’ superstars, Tommy Edman ended up being the NLCS MVP. Any predictions right now for MVP of the World Series?
It’s going to be heavy, heavy on the superstars. But this is what happens that you get guys that shine, they do things because the other team makes them be the guy. For the Yankees, I could see somebody like maybe Anthony Volpe doing something similar to what Edman did if he were to be in enough RBI situations. But you’re always looking for that player that nobody’s paying attention to.
For the Dodgers, I would be interested to see if Will Smith, with the way this rest lined up and his home run in his last game, I know the Dodgers are hoping he can get unlocked. Because if he can get unlocked, wow, does that lineup really go to another place. So, it’s all going to be heavy on the stars, and the MVP is probably going to be a star. But just like you said, Edman, great trade, great player that fits the mold for what the Dodgers needed.
John Smoltz, a first-ballot Baseball Hall of Famer, eight-time All-Star and National League Cy Young Award winner, is FOX MLB’s lead game analyst. In addition to calling the network’s marquee regular-season games, Smoltz is in the booth for the All-Star Game and a full slate of postseason matchups which include Division Series, League Championship Series and World Series assignments.
Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on Twitter at @RowanKavner.
