The Los Angeles Dodgers turned to Jack Flaherty in Game 5 of the World Series in hopes that he would be able to close out the New York Yankees on the road and bring the championship home. After all, Flaherty helped the Dodgers get the win in Game 1 after a very solid outing on the mound: 5.1 innings with just five hits and two runs.
Flaherty didn't have as much luck in Game 5, as the Yankees quickly chased him off the mound after just 1.1 innings. In the process, Flaherty set a new nightmarish World Series record, according to OptaStats.
“Jack Flaherty is the first starter in World Series history to give up 4+ runs and 2+ HR while lasting less than 2.0 innings,” OptaStats wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
The Yankees wasted no time jumping all over Flaherty right from the start of the game, as Juan Soto drew a walk in the yankees' second at-bat of the night. Aaron Judge quickly drove him in with a monster two-run home run out into right field to make it 2-0. Jazz Chisholm Jr. followed that up with a towering drive out into right for another homer, and Flaherty was reeling.
In the second inning, shortstop Anthony Volpe ripped an extra base hit before Alex Verdugo drove him in with a single, and Flaherty was pulled with just one out in the bottom of the second.
Now, the Dodgers bullpen has plenty of work in front of them just to make it through this game before they get the day off tomorrow. They already gave up one more run out of the pen, a home run from Giancarlo Stanton to make it 5-0 Yankees.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has some decisions to make with his arms now. He has all of his top arms available, but it's hard to justify using them unless the Dodgers can start cutting into this deficit a little bit. Until then, Roberts will have to rely on some of his middle relievers to hang on and keep the Dodgers in the game while the offense tries to find a spark.