Article via Rich Mancuso & Latino Sports.
BRONX, NY — Nestor Cortes over Tim Hill in Game 1 out of the bullpen. The Yankees and their inability to get on base, Aaron Judge becoming a postseason disappointment are some reasons the Yankees return to the Bronx Monday night with a 0-2 World Series deficit against the Dodgers.
You can question the decision of Yankees manager Aaron Boone going with Cortes in the 10th inning and throwing a pitch to Freddie Freeman and grand slam walk-off Dodgers win in Game 1. And you can analyze the Yankees lineup and Juan Soto’s home run before the Yankees bats woke up a bit in the 9th inning of Game 2.
However you can’t dispute that only 15 teams in 92 attempts have won a best-of-seven postseason series after losing the first two games, the Diamondbacks in 2023 were the last, beating the Phillies in the NLCS. Regardless, the Yankees have been here with adversity and recovered, but this is the World Series and a must win Monday evening in what is expected to be a raucous and boisterous crowd.
The Yankees play well at home in the Bronx though finishing with a 44-37 season record, opposed to 50-31 on the road. A ballpark that is made for their home run potency with Judge, Juan Soto, and Giancarlo Stanton, who has become the new Mr. October in pinstripes.
But throw all the season records away. The Yankees know their task and do stand a chance to make this a series, to do that they need to win Game 3, Game 4. Then it’s even, a Game 5 Wednesday night in the Bronx and return to Los Angeles for a Game 6 or decisive Game 7.
This is a World Series that is projected to go seven games but the Yankees know the odds are against them, optimistic though they can make this a series and win the next two at home. Shohei Ohtani with a bad shoulder is expected to be in the lineup for Game 3, according to manager Dave Roberts Sunday afternoon.
Said Soto about Judge and his struggles this postseason, “I know it’s tough, but I feel like when you’re a hitter like him, he’s one of the greatest. I feel like it’s only going to take one at-bat for him to lock in.”
Anthony Rizzo said about being in the 0-2 hole, “The biggest thing is, we win that game Monday, the pressure goes to the other side and we’ll make this a series.”
Pressure, regardless of the Yankees and not the Dodgers. One team, the Dodgers, scored enough runs and pitched well to stop a potent Yankees lineup that had held Judge in check (1-for-9, six strikeouts) and swung at pitches out of the strike zone.
Judge, though, as Soto said, needs one good swing and that could change the complexion of this series.
The Yankees need Gleyber Torres to get on base in the leadoff spot, Soto, Judge, and Stanton to follow. It worked well in September and for the most part in October, it just came to a sudden halt because the Dodgers scouting reports have worked to perfection.
Don’t give them anything good to hit, keep the ball out of their zone. Regardless if Torres and Soto draw a walk, Judge has the table set but has not been able to produce and chase pitches. Though Stanton and Soto hit home runs in Games 1 and 2.
And throw away the history, 1978 and 1981, the Dodgers won Games 1 and 2 at home in the Fall Classic, the Yankees would win the next four. It’s a different era and not the same players. Not to say these Yankees are much different but the game has vastly changed, however percentages are not in their favor.
Judge has to hit home runs similar to what Freeman, Teoscar Hernández and Tommy Edman hit at Dodgers Stadium.
The Yankees need a good start from Clarke Schmidt in Game 3, go to a bullpen that can outmaneuver a Dodgers pen that has been outstanding.
And Schmidt can’t throw three home run balls in his start, something that Carlos Rodón displayed which forced the Yankees to play comeback baseball in Game 2.
“I’ve definitely got to step up,” Judge said as the Yankees departed Dodger Stadium and looked to return for a Game 6. “I’ve got to do my job. Guys around here are doing their job, getting on base. I’m failing them, backing them up. We’ve got to turn it around.”
And that begins with Judge if the Yankees want to avoid that 0-3 deficit. Though again, a best-of-seven and Yankees win Monday night makes this a series. Though percentages to win are against them, the Dodgers will have a struggling Walker Buehler on the mound, and a bullpen array of pitchers in Game 4.
“This series could easily be 2-0 us,” Stanton said. “That’s what happens when you’re an extremely good ballclub on the other side. It could go either way.”
Right now, though, the Dodgers are the better team. The Yankees facing their biggest adversity of their AL pennant winning season. They say it’s not over until it’s over and have a Game 3 to show the world.
Rich Mancuso is a senior writer and contributor at LatinoSports.com – X (Twitter) @Ring786, Facebook.com Rich Mancuso
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