Reality can hit like a bunch of bricks–neither pretty nor pleasant. The Yankees are dealing with it in this year’s World Series, down 2-0 against the Los Angeles Dodgers after losing 4-2 Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. Will the picture change now that the Series has moved East? (Don’t bet on it.)
This Game 2 loss happened after the Yankees blew a 3-2 lead in Game 1 with two outs in the tenth inning. Freddie Freeman hit a grand slam off Yankees temporary reliever Nestor Cortes, giving the home team a 6-3 victory and taking a 1-0 series lead. The Yankees could have won Game 2, too. With the Dodgers holding on to a 4-2 lead with one out in the ninth inning, the visitors couldn’t execute with the bases loaded when Anthony Volpe struck out, and Jose Trevino flew out to end the threat.
“Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda.” From a Yankee perspective, that’s the story.
The Yankees’ reality is that the Dodgers are neither the Royals nor the Guardians, which are good but not great teams. The Yankees have met their match in the Dodgers, and things don’t look promising.
While the NY media has been proclaiming a Yankees sweep or a 5-game win, it’s mystifying to me (other than an expression of supporter enthusiasm or homespun arrogance) why supposed analysts would see the Yankees as a shoo-in for the title. The overzealous response to beating two AL Central teams seems misplaced. Indeed, if the Orioles had starters John Means, Grayson Rodriguez, and Kyle Bradish healthy, or if the Astros had been the opposition, would the Yankees even be in the Series?
The New York Post’s Jon Heyman mentioned that the Dodgers’ rotation is “flawed.” The Dodgers don’t have Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, or John Smoltz, but they have guys who can pitch. Besides, what about the Yankees’ rotation?
Carlos Rodon doesn’t scare anyone. This guy gave up a two-run home run to Teoscar Hernandez and a solo home run to Freddie Freeman after Juan Soto gave him and the Yankees a new life by hitting a home run to tie the game at 1. So, what is it about Rodon that would convince any sportswriter that he would suddenly pivot against a good-hitting Dodgers team? Answer … nothing.[/beautifulquote]
Then, there’s Aaron Judge. He has hit .159 with 55 strikeouts in his last 35 playoff games and is 6-for-37 in this year’s postseason, including six strikeouts in this World Series. Moreover, in 2024, Judge was 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position, and he is 1-for-23 overall in his postseason career. He set a World Series record for having 24 misses on 20 swings. That won’t do against a team like the Dodgers.
Bottom line? New York has a flawed rotation, and the team features too many guys who are home run sluggers rather than situational hitters. The consequence is that the team is getting exposed. I picked the Dodgers to sweep the Yankees, and so far, LAD is on track to do just that.
Could the situation have been different? One way would have been for the team to have been tested on the way to the Series. The Yankees weren’t, and now they are failing the big test.
