Biggest Concerns For Yankees, Dodgers Heading Into the World Series

Before Game 1 of the World Series between the Yankees and Dodgers, former Cy Young Award winner Jake Peavy broke down each team’s biggest concerns on MLB Network.

Oct 24, 2024; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Stadium workers paint the World Series logo on the field prior to team workouts at Dodgers Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers finished with the best records in their respective leagues during the regular season and have continued to showcase their strength in October. Now, these two star-studded rosters are the only ones left standing, but that does not make them immune to weaknesses as they push for the ultimate prize.

Prior to Friday night’s World Series Game 1 at Dodger Stadium, 2007 Cy Young Award winner and two-time champion Jake Peavy broke down each team’s biggest concerns on MLB Network.

Peavy highlighted the Yankees’ struggles to hit with runners in scoring position this postseason. Through 93 plate appearances in such situations, the club is batting just .181 with three home runs, 13 walks, 22 strikeouts, and a .627 OPS. 

“We talked about running the bases; I think this is a little bit more of a glaring issue,” Peavy said. “We know the Yankees have lived and died with the long ball. They can hit it with the best of ’em. I also think for them to pull off four wins in this series against an unbelievable Dodger bullpen, they’re gonna have to choke down a little bit and have that two-strike approach that we’ve seen them have. They’re gonna have to manufacture some runs.”

The Yankees struggling hitting with runners in scoring position? Los Angeles needing more length from their starting pitching? 😬@JakePeavy_22 snoozes the alarm on these potential concerns and describes the way to success for these squads.#WorldSeries | #MLBTonight pic.twitter.com/aZFZdVJ5h7

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) October 25, 2024

For the Dodgers, the primary concern lies with their starting pitching. With season-ending injuries to Clayton Kershaw, Tyler Glasnow, Dustin May, and Gavin Stone, Los Angeles has had to rely on just three starters and mix in a bullpen day to reach this point. Since Aug. 1, Dodgers relievers have posted a 1.36 ERA, a 10.6 K/9 rate, and have held opponents to a .154 batting average over 106 combined innings. The issue? Their starters have repeatedly forced them to turn to the bullpen too early.

Jack Flaherty, who will start Game 1 for Los Angeles, lasted only three innings in his last outing during NLCS Game 5 against the New York Mets. His velocity and spin rate were down, and he struggled to hit his spots, allowing eight runs on eight hits and four walks. This performance prompted manager Dave Roberts to use Brent Honeywell for 4.2 innings to save his high-leverage arms for Game 6. 

“I’m concerned because I’m not sure what they’re going to get out of those starters,” Peavy said. “The way that last series played out, Dave Roberts ended up punting on two games and not going to the high-leverage situation guys. They’ve got five guys down there who can have big-time success, but not if they’re overexposed.”

Neither Yoshinobu Yamamoto nor Walker Buehler reached the fifth inning in their previous starts, which led to the team burning seven different relievers in two eight-run victories. After using seven arms again to get through a bullpen day in NLCS Game 6, Los Angeles is asking a lot from their high-leverage pitchers. 

A few days of rest between series helps, but at this late stage of the season, there is not much gas left in the tank for pitchers. Anytime either potent lineup faces the same pitcher for a second or third time, it gives the hitters an advantage.

Game 1 is set to begin at 8:08 p.m. ET on FOX. California native Gerrit Cole will take the mound for his childhood favorite team, the Yankees, opposite Jack Flaherty. It will be New York’s first Fall Classic since 2009, while the Dodgers last appeared in 2020.