Neutrals should argue for…
Same as always: whoever is playing against the Yankees. The Evil Empire may technically be a marginal underdog (48% chance of winning) with the bookmakers, but are you really going to support the team that already has 27 of these things? As well as the larger payroll (at least technically)? Or are you going to fall behind baseball’s best boyShohei Ohtani? A.E
The Yankees due to the unlikely success of their bullpen, and Tim Hill in particular. Hill is the ultimate MLB rags to riches story. The 34-year-old left-hander was released in June from the White Sox (who would post the most losses in a season in modern MLB history) and has clawed his way to some big putouts in these playoffs. MJ
The Yankees. The good people of New York are still reeling from the indictment of their beloved (okay, maybe not so beloved) mayor, Eric Adams. The city needs a psychological boost at a time of trauma. Furthermore, with a World Series drought dating back to 2009, the Yankees are a quasi-underdog story. AK
Six games is solid, but seven is what you wantcomplete with ultra-tight, competitive ball games packed with juice and bad blood. The Dodgers throw inside to Aaron Judge. Jazz Chisholm talks to everyone. Belligerent Bronx bleachers mocking Dodger right fielders. And of course, a healthy dose of late-inning heroics, giving us the most complete fall classic we’ve had since the Cubs ended their title drought in 2016. DL
What the Yankees must do to win…
Keep walking. The Yankees run more than any other baseball team (10.8% of record performances, 4.22 walks per match), and the top two in the lineup, Gleyber Torres and Juan Soto, are drawing more walks than most. This puts pressure on the opponents, especially in the early innings. You never really want to pitch to Judge, but especially not when there are men on base. A.E
Continue increasing the pressure early and often. The Dodgers are their toughest test yet, but watch out if the Yankees maintain their sensational on-base percentage. Torres has reached base in the first inning of eight of the Yankees’ nine playoff games. It’s also time for Judge to step it up. MJ
Get one a few more innings out of their starting pitchers. The Yankees’ rotational arms failed to get out of the fifth inning in four of the club’s five ALCS games against the Guardians. If you’re manager Aaron Boone, you probably feel pretty good about your back-end bullpen trio of Tommy Kahnle, Clay Holmes and Luke Weaver. But you would like to reach them with a clue. AK
The first thing they need to do is Find out how to beat a real playoff teamwhich they haven’t done this postseason. The Yanks have been more or less a .500 club since early June, and the American League has been a mess this season. That means beating the Dodgers will be a tall order. New York will need other players besides Judge, Soto and Giancarlo Stanton to score regularly. And they’ll also have to find a way to get Dodger hitters out, which is extremely difficult because they have a long lineup that kills pitching, even with a limited Freddie Freeman. Gerrit Cole must dominate two games, otherwise New York has no chance. DL
What the Dodgers need to do to win…
Collect enough pitching to win four games. Jack Flaherty and Yoshinobu Yamamoto have had shaky postseasons, but are having strong regular seasons (3.17 and 3.00 ERAs, respectively). But then things get worrisome. Third starter Walker Buehler has been consistently inconsistent all year, giving up at least three hits in every outing, and LA’s bullpen, itself weakened by injury, will be crucial. A.E
A bounceback play from Flaherty to start the series and put a split on Cole, whose ERA is better on the road. But LA’s batting is so strong. Ohtani, Max Muncy and even Freeman are well poised to take advantage of the short porch at Yankee Stadium, which could mean lights out for New York. That would be a step higher than Teoscar Hernández and Will Smith special make the Dodgers deadly. MJ
I hope there is a mix of peace, happiness and painkillers causes Reeman to get into trouble again while recovering from an ankle injury. Muncy and Tommy Edman picked up the offensive slack for him during the NLCS. Let’s not bet on this continuing. AK
LA’s lineup should do that wear out the Yankees’ starters and put some innings on that New York bullpen. They also have to catch the ball, which has been an issue at times in the NLCS. Then Dave Roberts has to beat Boone, which is mandatory since Boone is no Miller Huggins. DL
One bold prediction…
We’ll see MLB’s 22nd all-time combined no-hitter. Over the past decade, coaches’ willingness to pull starters early in close playoff games has been much greater, and it’s rare for a pitcher to make it a third time. It seems more likely that the well-rested and healthier Yankees will get it done. A.E
At least three games will go to extra time. Given the makeup of these two teams, especially the respective strengths in their pitching portfolios, it’s easy to imagine the Dodgers taking several leads while the Yankees storm back. Fortunately, the new baseball rules keep us glued to our screens until the early hours. MJ
Ohtani has a slightly downward series. The Yankees plan to start Carlos Rodón twice, and the southpaw is hell for lefty hitters like Ohtani. Plus, the greatest baseball player in the world has a mediocre six or seven games precisely the kind of thing that a cruel sport like baseball can make happen at will. AK
It’s Game 7, we’re deep into extra innings and LA is out of pitching options. Now Ohtani jogs from the dugout to the Dodgers bullpen. Wait, is he doing what we think he’s doing? Is this really happening? Even though Roberts said it wouldn’t be? Yes, yes and yes. Much to the surprise of the baseball world, Ohtani is warming up for pitching. It’s noon in Tokyo and Japan has come to a standstill. All eyes are on the great baseball god from Oshu as he takes the mound to face the big Yankees bats in the top of the 16-hour inning. Then he takes them down in order. Jaws drop: Dodgers win. DL
MVP of the World Series…
Gerrit Kool. He’s expected to outlast Flaherty in Game 1 (and likely Game 4), and there’s a good chance the Yankees take both games. Unless one of the big bats comes on a roll, that could be enough to put the MVP in a tight bracket. A.E
Shohei Ohtani. That guy is the best player in the world. He showed well in the regular season and has been on his side this postseason, going 6-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Ohtani’s three-run homer in the second inning of Game 1 of the NLDS against the Padres set the tone for that series and the Dodgers’ entire playoff run. MJ
Mookie Betts. The right fielder of the Dodgers’ generation has had a torrid playoff run even with Freeman, his usual protection in the batting order providing very little threat. If Freeman can get some early hits in and scare the Yankees into throwing a few more meatballs in Betts’ general direction, watch out. AK
Well, it won’t be a Dodgers pitcher like Yamamoto, for example, because he only pitches once in this short series. I can imagine someone like that Teoscar Hernández Take over and dominate New York. Especially since he looked so terrible against the Mets in the NLCS, with an OPS of .391. That’s another way of saying Hernández is due. DL
Your World Series winner will be…
Yankees 4-2 Dodgers. Some argue that the real winner of this ratings-friendly blockbuster matchup has already been announced: it’s Commissioner Rob Manfred. But on the field, it’s hard not to suspect that the Yankees and their relatively healthy and well-rounded lineup will quietly cruise toward yet another title. A.E
Dodgers 4-3 Yankees. It comes down to hitting. The Yankees have more pop, but have a bit of a regression in the back half of their starting lineup. The Dodgers are just as dangerous from a power perspective and almost the entire lineup is a threat. LA is also quite adept at avoiding strikeouts. But mostly they are the team with Ohtani. MJ
Yankees 4-3 Dodgers. These teams are evenly matched, and anyone who thinks either side has a big advantage is kidding themselves. But with things being as even as they seem to be, I’m going with the team that has four healthy starting pitchers instead of three. AK
Dodgers 4-1 Yankees. New York will be lucky to win a game away from LA as these Yankees are a two, sometimes three strike pony at best. Their record was artificially inflated by a fast start in a poor competition. Their flawed lineup lacks balance and relies entirely on the top heavy, and I wouldn’t trust Cole in a big spot. LA wipes the floor with New York in five games, most of which are blowouts that won’t help the much-discussed bicoastal ratings. DL