If there’s ever a team in need of some home cooking, it’s the New York Yankees.
Down 2-0 in the 2024 World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Bronx Bombers are coming off perhaps two of the worst possible ways to lose a ballgame.
In Game 1, the Yankees controlled things for most of the contest. However, the team gave up the lead in the 8th Inning courtesy of an error by 2nd baseman Gleyber Torres. With the game eventually making it to the 10th inning, Manager Aaron Boone brought on starter Nestor Cortes to face Freddie Freeman up one run with the bases loaded and two outs. Freeman proceeded to launch a Grand Slam into the right field pavilion — thus conjuring up shades of Kirk Gibson’s famed 1988 homer on a gimpy leg. The Dodgers took Game 1 with this shocking development.
In Game 2, Yoshinobu Yamamoto — the highly-priced pitcher who picked the Dodgers over the Yankees — was dominant. He allowed only one hit over 6.1 innings (a Juan Soto HR). Three LA homers (Teoscar Hernandez, Tommy Edman, Freeman) gave LA a commanding 4-1 lead heading to the 9th. Dodgers closer Blake Treinen got into some trouble, and it forced LA Manager Dave Roberts to put Alex Vesia in the game with two outs in the 9th. By that time, the Yankees had loaded the bases down only two runs. With pinch hitter Jose Trevino up, he flied out to center field on the first pitch Vesia threw, ultimately giving the Dodgers another win.
After letting Game 1 slip through your proverbial hands, and fighting all the way back just to see the comeback effort come up short in Game 2, you’ve got to think the Yankees are relieved to be heading back to the Bronx. Aaron Judge likely is in this camp. His struggles in postseason play have continued to become a real issue. Judge has one hit in nine at-bats versus the Dodgers. This includes zero extra base hits, and a whopping six strikeouts.
After LA defeated New York’s top two starters, Clarke Schmidt will start with the hopes of stopping the bleeding. He’ll be opposite Walker Buehler, a pitcher who has no problem dealing on the road. Buehler is coming off a fantastic start versus the Mets, and is easily the most experienced starter LA has.
This is without a doubt a must-win situation for the Yankees. The ballclub has to do something in order to turn the tide and garner some momentum. We’ll see if Boone opts to mix up the lineup a bit. Outside of Soto and Giancarlo Stanton, the team is struggling mightily versus the Dodgers’ pitching through two games.
Getting Judge going would be a major benefit. The Yankees likely can’t win this series if he’s struggling to this level. At the same time, New York needs to manufacture some runs the old fashioned way, which includes moving guys over and putting runners in scoring position for the big boppers in the lineup.
If New York can’t come away with the victory Monday evening, things will look as bleak as they’ve been all year long for the Yankees.
