Cody Snavely
LOS ANGELES, CA — Welcome back to another off-day edition of Dodgers Notes from DodgersBeat. There is much to catch up on as the 2024 World Series shifts from Southern California to the much colder fall crisp air on the East Coast in the Bronx, New York.
Dodgers head to Bronx, New York, up 2-0 in World Series
The 2024 World Series will now head to New York City, home of the Yankees, with the Bronx Bombers trailing two games to none after the Dodgers took both games one and two at Chavez Ravine.
After a walk-off grand slam by Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman in game one of the series, the Dodgers would not lose any momentum in yesterday’s 4-2 win over the New York Yankees.
Rookie right-handed pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto would dazzle for 6.1 innings, allowing just one hit: a solo home run to Juan Soto in the third inning.
The Dodgers offense, which before this World Series was averaging 6.5 runs per game this postseason, dropped six runs in game one and four more in game two thanks to the long ball as Tommy Edman, Teoscar Hernández, and Freeman all went yards off Yankees lefty Carlos Rodón.
Since 1995 (the birth of the League Division Series format), thirteen of fourteen teams that went up 2-0 in the World Series ended up winning it all. The lone team to win was the 1996 New York Yankees.
That year, the Yankees would be down 2-0 after losing back-to-back games to the Atlanta Braves led by John Smoltz and Greg Maddux.
The Yankees would ultimately win the series, winning their first of four championships in a five-year span.
So, despite the Dodgers’ commanding lead and their fans’ confidence, the late Kobe Bryant would say, “Job’s not finished.”
Ohtani injury
With the Los Angeles Dodgers win last night over the New York Yankees, they are officially up two games to none as the series shifts back to New York; however, all eyes are on Shohei Ohtani, who injured his shoulder on an attempted stolen base in the seventh inning.
The Fox broadcast revealed during the game that Ohtani’s injury was his shoulder, not his wrist, as some online had speculated. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed those rumors after the game, stating it was a subluxation of his left shoulder and injury similar to what Cody Bellinger suffered in the 2020 National League Championship Series.
Ohtani did not speak to the media after the game but was seen wandering around the clubhouse in good spirits without a sling or ice, encouraging many fans online and around the world.
Ohtani would stay in Los Angeles while the rest of the team left for New York to undergo further imaging, and upon the team’s first workout today, it was reported by ESPN’s Karl Ravech that Ohtani would be in the lineup for game three on the World Series tomorrow night.
Ohtani arrived at New Yankees Stadium this afternoon to go through all his usual pregame and baseball activity routines and would be reevaluated from there, but the initial test by the Dodgers physical therapist and Ohtani’s general feelings have all pointed to him being good to go for tomorrow.
Still, Roberts told the media in his off-day presser that Ohtani’s status for tomorrow would be a game-time decision and on Ohtani’s pain tolerance.
Freddie Freeman’s power surge
On September 26th, in the series finale against their National League West division rival, the San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman sprained his ankle holding with Padres first baseman Luis Arráez. Freeman would miss the final three games of the 2024 regular season due to the injury.
With the division already clinched and a top record all but locked up, the Dodgers took advantage of a week-long bye with the top seed in the National League by resting their players when possible.
By the time the National League Division Series rolled around, Freeman had nine full days to rest his ankle and prepare to play against those same San Diego Padres.
Freeman would play four of the five games in the NLDS while leaving game two early after the Dodgers were blown out at home.
The Dodgers would move on after forcing a game five and beat Yu Darvish at Dodger Stadium after two solo shots by Enrique Hernandez and Teoscar Hernández.
Freeman missed two of the six Dodgers games in the National League Championship Series, and his overall numbers so far in October were down, primarily due to his ankle injury, according to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.
Overall, in the NLDS, Freeman went a combined 4-for-14 with no extra-base hits. In the NLCS, it was the same story, going 3-for-18 with no extra-base hits. However, in the World Series, his power is finally back after being over a month removed from his injury.
So far in the Fall Classic, Freeman is 3-for-9 with two home runs, a triple, has driven in five runs, and is an early favorite to get the World Series Most Valuable Player Award if the Dodgers close the deal on this series.
Freeman has also improved on his elite slash line in the World Series dating back to the 2021 season with the Atlanta Braves, where the left has hit .323/.353/.806 and has homered in four straight World Series games.
With Freeman looking happy and confident at the dish and looking comfortable on defense, it’s safe to say Freeman is back, which is good news as the Dodgers are just two wins away from their first World Series title since 2020, and they’re first in a full season since 1988.
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