Dodgers Scouted Yankees Perfectly Ahead of World Series

Maren Angus-Coombs | Nov 5, 2024

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees matched up evenly at the plate during the World Series but the Dodgers had an edge that the Yankees, somehow, were able to hide through the American League Division Series and Championship Series.

In scouting meetings, the Dodgers emphasized to their players that the Yankees relied more on talent than on fundamentals. Joel Sherman of the New York Post detailed some of that scouting in a recent article.

The Dodgers thought that running the bases with purpose and aggression would pressure the Yankees into making mistakes, a weakness Mookie Betts, Tommy Edman, and Freddie Freeman had already exposed.

Putting the ball in play was crucial — they wanted to force the Yankees to execute, knowing that baserunning was a clear vulnerability. Statistically, the Yankees were the worst baserunning team in the majors, and the gap was significant. In contrast, the Padres, whom the Dodgers defeated in the NLDS, excelled in this area, showcasing the importance of capitalizing on the Yankees’ struggles.

Their data showed the Yankees had the worst-positioned outfield in the league. They were stunned by how often relay throws rolled aimlessly through the infield with no one stepping up to take control. Players like Jazz Chisholm Jr., for example, were often out of position or simply standing still during key plays.

The scouting report was on full display when Shohei Ohtani reached third on a double after a ball slipped past Gleyber Torres, with no one nearby to recover it.

When it comes to winning championships, defense is the difference-maker and the Yankees didn't have it. Instead of working on basic fundamentals throughout the season and course-correcting, New York leaned on its talent hoping in the end that talent would outweigh the lack of work.

The fifth inning during Game 5 highlighted everything that was wrong with the Yankees.

The Yankees held a 5-0 lead and by the time ten Dodgers had stepped to the plate, the game was tied at 5-5 — all of the Dodgers’ runs were unearned.

During that inning, New York committed two errors (three total for the game, including a later catcher’s interference call). Ace Gerrit Cole missed a crucial play by failing to cover first on a grounder to Anthony Rizzo, which could have prevented any scoring. The unraveling began with center fielder Aaron Judge’s missed catch on a Tommy Edman fly ball — his first error of the season— and was followed by shortstop Anthony Volpe’s errant throw to third on the next play.

The Yankees are forced to look in the mirrowr now and ask if they are willing to put in the work this offseason or just sign more talent to try and cover up their flaws.