The two best teams in both the National League and the American League in 2024. Both will surely be MVPs in their respective circuits. The two franchises with the most history between them. The two largest cities in the United States.
This Fall Classic between the Dodgers and Yankees will be iconic. When Game 1 of the World Series is played on Friday at Dodger Stadium, it will be a clash of titans from opposite coasts who have accumulated figures to achieve a moment like this.
“I think that’s what people wanted,” Los Angeles superstar Mookie Betts declared after sealing the National League Championship Series against the Mets. “This is what we all want. It will be fun. It’s going to be a battle between two good teams, long journeys, but that’s part of the fun.”
But what takes this matchup to another level is the number of stars on board.
Shohei Ohtani is coming off the first 50-homer, 50-homer campaign in Major League history. We also have Aaron Judge, who just recorded the best OPS+ (223) by a right-handed hitter in modern AL/NL history
Both are on the verge of winning their respective league MVP (it would be Ohtani’s third, Judge’s second), but now we get to see the two biggest names in all of baseball in action with during their first World Series.
“That’s what it’s all about,” said the Judge. “That’s what you strive for all season, for moments like this. “It’s something special.”
Speaking of special players, we have to talk about Dominican Juan Soto, who just hit the decisive home run of the ALCS, in pursuit of his second ring — he got one with the Nationals in 2019 — against what it could be. To be a free agent contract.
Now they meet in the Fall Classic – the 12th time in their history – in a year where each had the best record and run differential in their respective leagues. This is only the third time this century (also Red Sox vs. Cardinals in 2013 and Dodgers vs. Rays in 2020) and the second time in an entire season that the postseason No. 1s in the World Series.
When is the game and how can I watch it?
Game 1 of the World Series will be played at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday at 8:08pm/5:08pm PT. All games will start at the same time and will be broadcast on FOX Deportes.
Who are the openers?
Yankees: RHP Gerrit Cole (8-5, 3.41 ERA in regular season)
Cole will make his third start in the Fall Classic, having taken the mound twice for the Astros in 2019, recording one win and one loss. Last year’s AL Cy Young Award winner didn’t start this season until June 19 because of nerve irritation in his pitching elbow, and was limited to 17 starts during the regular season. Cole is 1-0 with a 3.31 ERA in three appearances in these playoffs. His best performance was against the royals in Game 4 of the ALDS, when he gave up one run in seven innings.
Dodgers: LD Jack Flaherty (13-7, 3.17 ERA in regular season)
The right-hander has made three starts so far in the postseason posting a 7.04 ERA while his opponents are batting .254. He faced obstacles in both NLDS starts against the Padres and his last NLCS outing against the Mets, in which he gave up eight earned runs and four walks in three innings, but between the starts he pitched seven shutout innings allowing just two hits in Game 1 of the NLCS. The 29-year-old right-hander is from Burbank, California and attended Harvard Westlake High School in Los Angeles.
What do aliens look like?
Yankees: With the Dodgers going right-handed, the Bombers game looks the same as Game 5 of the ALCS in Cleveland even though New York manager Aaron Boone said he doesn’t feel comfortable going four out of five. he has strikers in the lower part. Volpe is the only right-hander in seventh.
Dodgers: With the Yankees going right-handed in Game 1, Lux returns to the starting lineup for the first time since Game 3 of the NLCS. Freeman missed Game 6 of the NLCS with a badly sprained ankle, but is back at third for Game 1.
How will the bullpens stack up after the start?
Yankees: The Yankees used their bullpen hard to get seven wins in their first nine postseason games, but the rest before the World Series will help them. Clay Holmes and Luke Weaver have pitched in eight of those nine games. Weaver – the newly named closer – leads Yankees relievers with 10.1 innings pitched. Boone was aggressive going to Weaver to hit as many as six in the postseason, which will likely continue in the Fall Classic. Tim Hill has played seven games and Tommy Kahnle has played six. Mark Leiter Jr. advanced two crucial ALCS games after being added to the roster in place of Ian Hamilton.
Dodgers: With one of the best bullpens in all of baseball – and the biggest key to the postseason run – Los Angeles will remain aggressive in hiring its group of relievers. Evan Phillips, Michael Kopech and Blake Treinen will be the primary relievers, while veterans Daniel Hudson and Ryan Brasier will provide depth. Alex Vesia, if healthy, and Anthony Banda will give the Dodgers two solid left-handed options.
Who is running and who is not?
Yankees: Stanton returns to Los Angeles with one of the hottest bats on the Bombers, earning him the ALCS MVP award after hitting four homers with seven RBIs in five games against the Rangers. Overall in the playoffs, Stanton has 10 hits in 34 at-bats (.294), with five home runs and 11 RBIs. Soto hit a go-ahead homer in Game 5 of the ALCS and has a .333/.439/.667 slash line in October. Judge started to see results in the ALCS, but is still hitting .161 this postseason. Chisholm (.147 average) and Wells (.091 average) were also cold.
Dodgers: Edman won the MVP of the NLCS, putting together one of his best series of the season with 11 RBI. Ohtani also set a Dodgers ALCS record, reaching base 17 times against the Mets. After the Dodgers walked 41 in six NLCS games, it’s hard to point to a player who isn’t having a good time in the batter’s box.
Anything else fans should know?
• The Yankees have won eight of their first 11 World Series games against the Dodgers (1941, 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953, 1956, 1977, 1978). The Los Angeles club won three times (1955, 1963, 1981).
• The Dodgers and Yankees previewed the Fall Classic from June 7-9 at Yankee Stadium, with Los Angeles winning two of three games. Teóscar Hernández hit the two-run double in the 11th inning that decided the first game – a 2-1 Dodgers victory – and then homered twice in an 11-3 rout in the next upset. The Yankees took the honor with a 6-4 victory, led by Trent Grisham’s home run against Tyler Glasnow.