2024-10-30 05:30:06
That unusual situation of trying to draw inspiration from an archrival didn’t work (the Yankees got swept anyway). So we don’t expect the 2024 Yankees to cue up “The Comeback: 2004 Boston Red Sox” on Netflix now that they trail the Dodgers 3-0 in this World Series that resumes Tuesday night with Game 4 at Yankee Stadium.
But what happened 20 years ago forever remains a reminder that a 3-0 series can still be salvaged for the trailing team. For the Yankees to pull that off, their lumbering lineup, which is batting .186 as a team in this World Series, is going to have to get it going in a game in which the Dodgers will be going the all-reliever route.
“Takes just one,” said Aaron Judge, an enormous man facing enormous scrutiny for his 1-for-12 showing with seven strikeouts in this Series. “All it takes is one swing, one at-bat, one play. Everything changes for us. That’s just the mindset you’ve got to have going into this.”
There has not been a Fall Classic sweep since the Giants swept away the Tigers in 2012. The 11 consecutive World Series without a sweep is the second-longest stretch in history, behind a 12-year streak from 1977-88.
The Yankees are the 41st team to fall behind 3-0 in a best-of-seven. The 2004 Red Sox (against the Yanks) are the only ones to come out on top. To reach this point in a World Series and even force a Game 5 is difficult. It hasn’t happened since 1970, when the Reds lost the first three, won Game 4 and then lost Game 5.
Even before the Yankees lost Game 3, manager Aaron Boone had ruled out bringing back staff ace Gerrit Cole on short rest. Cole only threw 88 pitches in a terrific Game 1 outing, but he dealt with a right elbow issue that delayed his start to the season, and the Yankees don’t want to press him.
So it will be on rookie Luis Gil to quiet a Dodgers offense that has struck first in every game of this Series.
As for the Dodgers’ pitching plans, well, they have shown twice this postseason that they can piece together a win entirely with their ‘pen, including in their NLCS clincher against the Mets in Game 6. And they’ve been firmly in control of this World Series ever since Freddie Freeman swung them to victory in the 10th inning of Game 1.
“We know what’s at stake,” Freeman said. “We’ve got a chance to be champions, and we know they’ve got nothing to lose, and they’re going to come out and do everything they can. It’s our job to go out there and hopefully put together another good ballgame.”
A Yankees team has not been swept in the World Series since 1976, against the Big Red Machine. But this World Series could be over in a New York minute if the Yankees don’t come to life Tuesday night.
When is the game and how can I watch it?
Game 4 of the World Series will be played at Yankee Stadium in New York on Tuesday at 8:08 p.m. ET/5:08 p.m. PT. All World Series games will start at the same time and be televised on FOX.
All games are available in the U.S. on MLB.TV (authentication to a participating Pay TV provider is required). Live games are also available in select countries outside the U.S. For full details, click here.
Who are the starting pitchers?
Dodgers: RHP Ben Casparius (2-0, 2.16 ERA during regular season)
Casparius will make his first appearance of the World Series in the Dodgers’ bullpen game. The 25-year-old last appeared on Oct. 20 in the Game 6 clincher of the NLCS against the Mets, throwing 1 1/3 scoreless innings while walking one and allowing two hits.
Yankees: RHP Luis Gil (15-7, 3.50 ERA during regular season)
Gil will make his second start of the postseason after tossing four innings of two-run ball in Game 4 of the ALCS at Cleveland on Oct. 18. A leading candidate for the AL’s Rookie of the Year Award, Gil faced the Dodgers on June 9 at Yankee Stadium, taking a no-decision as he permitted three runs over 5 2/3 innings in a 6-4 Yankees win.
What are the starting lineups?
Dodgers: Los Angeles moved Kiké Hernández up two spots in the order, shifted Will Smith to the eighth spot and slotted Gavin Lux at No. 7 in the order against the right-handed Gil. Shohei Ohtani will play back-to-back games despite dealing with a left shoulder subluxation, which is a partial dislocation.
Yankees: Austin Wells returns to the starting lineup after Jose Trevino started behind the plate in Game 3, and Chisholm moves up to clean-up for the second time this postseason (also in ALCS Game 4 in Cleveland), with Stanton moving down to the five-hole.
How will the bullpens line up after the starter?
Dodgers: Despite a heavy workload this postseason, the Dodgers’ bullpen will be in good shape heading into Game 4. Blake Treinen wasn’t needed in Game 3, giving him another day of rest after a heavy workload in Games 1 and 2. Every one-inning reliever will be available and could be extended to multiple frames.
The Yankees have yet to see Casparius, Knack or Honeywell, and all three are options for the Dodgers to potentially take down a couple of innings at a time. Honeywell and Casparius fared well in the NLCS against the Mets, while Knack struggled in his lone appearance.
Yankees: A third-inning exit from Clarke Schmidt forced the Yanks to use seven relievers in Game 3, but with elimination possible, all hands will be considered on deck. Mark Leiter Jr., Jake Cousins and Tim Hill each threw 17 pitches in Game 3, with Nestor Cortes (15), Clay Holmes (12), Tommy Kahnle (11) and Luke Weaver (six) all seeing duty. The only rostered pitcher who has not seen the mound yet this postseason is Marcus Stroman.
Any injuries of note?
Dodgers: Ohtani (left shoulder) and Freeman (right ankle) continue to play through their respective injuries and will start in Game 4.
Yankees: Rizzo is playing through two fractured fingers on his right hand, which is a pain tolerance issue, as the fractures won’t heal until the offseason.
Who is hot and who is not?
Dodgers: Freeman continues his dominant World Series run, hitting a homer in all three games against the Yankees. The star first baseman has now hit a homer in five consecutive games in the Fall Classic. If the Dodgers wrap it up, Freeman will likely be taking home his first World Series MVP trophy.
Yankees: Stanton doubled and singled in Game 3, the only Yankee to register two hits. He leads the team with a 1.110 OPS this postseason. Torres walked twice in Game 3 and has a .390 on-base percentage this postseason. Judge went 0-for-3 with a walk in Game 3 and is 1-for-12 in the World Series with seven strikeouts.
• The Yankees have won eight of the previous 11 World Series meetings between the clubs (1941, 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953, 1956, 1977, 1978). The Dodgers were victorious three times (1955, 1963, 1981).
• The Dodgers and Yankees had a World Series preview June 7-9 at Yankee Stadium, with Los Angeles winning two of the three games. Teoscar Hernández had a go-ahead, two-run double in the 11th inning of the first game, a 2-1 Dodgers win, then hit two homers in an 11-3 rout the next night. The Yanks salvaged the finale with a 6-4 win, powered by Trent Grisham’s three-run homer off Tyler Glasnow.
