World Series Game 2 Post Game Analysis

By Lachlan Wellington October 28, 2024 20:36

Photo by AP Photo/Ashley Landis

The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees are having contrasting starts to the 2024 World Series. The Dodgers lead the Fall Classic 2-0 with the series heading to New York for at least the next two games.

The Dodgers could not have wished for a better start, winning the first game 6-3 on the back of a walk-off Grand Slam from Freddie Freeman and three home runs off Carlos Rodón in Game 2 putting LA in control. The Yankees were an out away from taking the first game, however, were never really in contention in the second.

Here is how Game 2 unfolded and what went right for the Dodgers and wrong for the Yankees…

The rundown of Game 2 was that most of the scoring happened early in the game within the first three innings. Tommy Edman’s solo homerun in the bottom of the second put the Dodgers ahead 1-0. However, Juan Soto’s solo shot leveled the game at 1-1 in the top of the third.

The Dodgers took control in the bottom of the third scoring three runs to jump ahead 4-1 with back-to-back homers. Firstly, Mookie Betts reached first with a single, before Teoscar Hernández hit a go-ahead two-run shot for 3-1. In the very next at bat, Freedie Freeman on the back of his walk off Grand Slam hit another solo shot, making it 4-1 Dodgers.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto outclassed his pitching opponent Carlos Rodon going 6.1 innings and giving up just 1 hit and earned run which was that Soto homer. He walked just two and struck out four.

Contrastingly, Rodón could not get out of the fourth innings only pitching 3.1 innings and in that time giving up six hits, four earned runs including three homers.

The Yankees pulled a run back in the top of the ninth innings, Giancarlo Stanton continuing his fine October form with an RBI single which scored Juan Soto but New York still went down 4-2 losers.

This is not a new problem for Rodón who gave up 31 homers in the regular season- the joint third most in the league. Rodón also set some unwanted history with his Game 2 outing as this was the second time ever in Yankees history that a starter allowed 3+ homeruns in the first three innings. Rodón joined Catfish Hunter in this unwanted club set in the 1977 World Series, which coincidentally was also against the Dodgers.

While Game 1 came down to the bullpen’s, Game 2 was decided by the starting pitchers. Yamamoto outdoing Rodón with both team's bullpens fairly even. The Yankees bullpen of Jake Cousins, Tim Hill, Clay Holmes and Mark Leiter Jr did not give up a run the rest of the game. While Blake Treinen struggled giving up an earned run for the Dodgers, Anthony Banda, Michael Kopech and Alex Vesia shut the Yankees offense down for the win.

While pitching was perhaps the main difference, the Dodgers elite offense is another reason they are two games up. LA’s offense is slashing .251/ .351/ .434 in the playoffs with a 122 wRC+ (weighted runs created plus)- the second best in their postseason history. The Dodgers have also scored five or more runs in eight out of 11 of their 2024 playoff games.

Another problem for the Yankees is captain Aaron Judge whose playoffs woes continue. Judge was the main reason the Yankees were able to win the American League East with his 58 home runs. However, the Yankees slugger has not been able to repeat this form in October. Judge is averaging just .150 and has just two home runs in 40 at bats in the postseason. In the World Series against the Dodgers Judge is 1-9 including six strikeouts including 0-4 in game two getting fanned three times.

The only blemish and question mark ahead of Game 3 for the Dodgers is the fitness of Shohei Ohtani after he exited Game 2 with an apparent shoulder injury from a stolen-base attempt. After the game Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Ohtani has a subluxation of his left shoulder.

The biggest question ahead of Game 3 is whether the Dodgers can all but seal their seventh ever Championship or will the Yankees put themselves back in the picture with victory?