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An October night in Los Angeles often has plenty of buzz around the city. The Los Angeles Dodgers are often in the postseason, while the Los Angeles Lakers are typically beginning their season. That was the case on Friday night with both teams playing, and both teams won on Friday night. The Dodgers took care of business against the New York Yankees in Game 1 of the World Series, as a walk-off Freddie Freeman grand slam gave LA a 6-3 victory to begin the Fall Classic. In order to fully understand what occurred on Friday, though, we need to rewind and take a look back.
Nestor Cortes
Yankees pitcher Nestor Cortes had not pitched in over a month. He was selected to the Yankees postseason roster as a potential relief arm, though. Cortes was probably going to be used only in long relief, right? A pitcher who could enter a game early and give the Yankees some innings out of the bullpen, he surely wouldn't be used in the 10th inning to get a save…. Would he?
Well, that is what occurred in Game 1 of the World Series. Yankees manager Aaron Boone made the decision to turn to Cortes in the 10th with the Yankees leading 3-2. He liked the matchup of Cortes, a left-handed pitcher, facing Freeman, a left-handed batter.
Cortes made only one pitch to Freeman, a 92.5 MPH fastball. The fastball crossed the plate in and down to Freeman, and Freddie was all over it. Freeman utilized his short left-handed swing and deposited the baseball into the right field bleachers.
So why throw that pitch in that situation? Sure, it was only the first pitch of the at-bat, but we live in an era of sports where every single play has a purpose with advanced thinking behind it.
Freddie Freeman
Freeman has dealt with injury trouble in the postseason. The Dodgers first baseman has even had to miss some playoff games. He made it clear that he was planning to play in the first game of the World Series, however. This immediately had Dodgers fans thinking that perhaps Freeman could have a Kirk Gibson-like moment… but that would not actually happen, would it?
As Freeman stepped to the plate, he knew all he needed was a single. Heck, a walk or a hit-by-pitch would do the trick. He had a respectable, albeit far from spectacular game at the plate heading into the 10th inning, as Freeman was 1-4.
Now Freeman was surely sitting on a fastball in that moment. After all, a walk would tie the game for the Dodgers, so Cortes and the Yankees probably would not want to risk throwing an off-speed pitch to begin the at-bat due to the possibility of falling behind in the count. Freeman had only faced Cortes three times before Friday's game, so he did not have too much familiarity with the Yankees left-hand pitcher.
But a fastball to a left-handed slugger is a fastball to a left-handed slugger. One of baseball's oldest adages is do not miss down and in to a left-handed hitter, but that is the mistake Cortes made.
The pitch and swing that changed everything
Bases loaded, bottom of the 10th, two outs. Freeman at the plate, Cortes on the mound. Dodger Stadium is filled with excitement as fans nervously await the first pitch of the at-bat.
Cortes looked in and did not shake off his catcher. The Yankees had a mound visit before Freeman stepped to the plate so they surely knew what they were going to throw in that spot. The catcher set up in the middle of the plate, making it uncertain as to exactly where the Yankees wanted the pitch to end up. As Cortes' fastball left his hand, the Yankees catcher moved closer to Freeman, suggesting New York wanted the pitch on the inside corner.
In all fairness to the Yankees, Freeman excels at taking the ball the other way. He is no stranger to hitting doubles/home runs to left or center field. But to throw a get-me-over fastball on the inside part of the plate when Freeman is likely waiting on a fastball is, well, a questionable decision at best.
Freddie Freeman took a big swing and crushed the ball. He seemingly knew it was gone as soon as he swung the bat as Dodger Stadium erupted with fans cheering.
What a moment. It rivals Kirk Gibson's walk-off 1988 World Series home run. Both Gibson and Freeman were dealing with injuries when they hit their homers, and both players accomplished each feat in Game 1 of their respective World Series.
The job is not finished for the 2024 Dodgers, but Game 1 will be remembered in MLB history regardless of who ends up winning the series.
