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With the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers facing off in Game 1 of the World Series on Friday night, baseball and sports fans alike will be treated to an all-time great matchup. Ahead of the Yankees-Dodgers game, we'll be making our World Series Game 1 bold predictions.
It's not often that two of the league's most storied franchises, the country's two biggest media markets, and the world's two best players (Yankees' Aaron Judge, Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani) face off in the championship. It may be annoying to small-market fans, but this is the type of matchup that sells itself.
This is the 12th World Series meeting between the Yankees and Dodgers, the most common championship matchup in baseball history. New York's won eight of the rings so far, although Los Angeles won in six games in 1981, the most recent World Series meeting between the two organizations.
The rivalry, though, began in New York City, as the Dodgers represented the Brooklyn borough until moving out west in 1958. The Yankees dominated the matchup back then, winning six of the seven meetings before '58.
Now, Los Angeles has a chance to rewrite the story. It'll have home-field advantage in this year's series, thanks to owning baseball's best regular-season record at 98-64. New York finished four games behind.
Game 1's pitching matchup will see Yankees ace Gerrit Cole face off against Dodgers trade-deadline acquisition Jack Flaherty, who got shelled for eight runs in three innings in his last outing against the New York Mets in the NLCS. However, the 29-year-old tossed seven scoreless innings in Game 1 of that series.
Cole is also coming off of a shaky appearance against the Cleveland Guardians (two earned runs in 4.1 innings) but tossed seven innings of one-run ball against the Kansas City Royals in the ALDS.
If the Yankees win on Friday night, it'll put pressure on the Dodgers to get a victory before heading to New York for Game 3. Nevertheless, let's move on to our World Series Game 1 predictions.
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Gerrit Cole will pitch six innings for Yankees
While Cole got pulled early against Cleveland, allowing two runs in 4.1 innings is hardly a meltdown. Rather, it was a precautionary measure by New York manager Aaron Boone, who trusts in his bullpen to get out of sticky situations. It's a sensible strategy, as Yankee relievers have a collective 2.56 playoff ERA thus far.
However, Cole will get a longer leash this time, as the ace deserves the chance to work out of trouble in this legacy-defining moment. New York didn't give the right-hander a $324 million contract for a brief appearance in the World Series.
Furthermore, Cole has been in good form lately, with some occasional bumps in the road. The 34-year-old has a 3.31 playoff ERA, had a 2.53 mark in September, and a stingy 1.93 mark in August. Expect a similar result on Friday, allowing around three runs across six innings.
Yankees will walk Shohei Ohtani multiple times
Ohtani continues to make a mockery of the sport. The 2023 World Baseball Classic MVP is 18 of his last 23 with runners on base, dating back to the regular season. He also reached base 17 times against the Mets in the NLCS, a Dodgers playoff record.
Ohtani is slashing .286/.434/.500 with three homers and 10 RBI so far this postseason. Expect New York to pitch around the four-time All-Star when he comes to the plate with runners on, as it's not worth the risk of him blasting the ball into the Southern California sky to break the game open.
Dodgers will dominate Aaron Judge
Although Judge has two homers and six RBI this postseason, he's slashing just .161/.317/.387. With Juan Soto and Giancarlo Stanton both red-hot, Los Angeles will attack the struggling Judge, limiting him to no hits and one walk.
Gleyber Torres will get two hits for Yankees
Torres has also been hot in New York's leadoff spot after a slow start to the season, slashing .297/.400/.432 with one homer and five RBI these playoffs. With Soto protecting the 27-year-old in the lineup, expect Flaherty and Los Angeles' pitching staff to go after him, resulting in more hits.
Boone sounded off on Torres' talent, via SNY.
"I always felt like it's a guy in the prime of his career that's always hit, waters going to find its level. He'll get there in the long 162 season."
Aaron Boone on Gleyber Torres hitting in the leadoff spot: pic.twitter.com/344nWDmX60
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) October 24, 2024
“He's a really good hitter. Has been throughout his career. We broke camp and I was leading him off, you know…” Boone said. “Had a really good spring, and just for whatever reason, I chalk it up to baseball, it's one of those things. Hitting's difficult, and it's hard to get on that really good roll…But I always felt like it's a guy in the prime of his career who's always hit, water's gonna find its level, he'll get there…”
Mookie Betts will drive in two Dodgers runs
Betts is on a roll as well, slashing .295/.404/.659 with four homers and 12 RBI this postseason. The veteran shortstop typically protects Ohtani in the lineup, who will almost certainly get on base. Expect him to get an extra-base hit in a big moment, driving in his superstar teammate along with either Chris Taylor or Will Smith.
