Dodgers defense giving slumping Yankee bats few mistakes to pounce on
The Yankee bats have gone silent in the World Series, and they could use some mistakes by the Dodgers to find a crack in the door and get some help in a much-needed big inning.
But Los Angeles has given them no such assistance, unlike the Royals and Guardians in the Bombers’ first two postseason series.
While the Yanks enjoyed wild pitch history against Cleveland and multiple defensive hiccups to help their rallies in the ALCS, the Dodgers are showing what a championship defense looks like, one that is locked in on giving up no ground and offering no breaks. The result has been two straight 4-2 losses by New York, neither of which have felt particularly close.
In game one, while the Yankees had multiple defensive miscues that let the lead slip away, Tommy Edman made a full extension diving stop in the 10th inning, limiting the damage on what became an RBI fielder’s choice by Anthony Volpe. The Dodgers went on to win on a Freddie Freeman walk-off grand slam.
In Monday’s game three, Mookie Betts made a sparkling diving catch on what would have been an RBI base hit by Jazz Chisholm Jr., keeping the Yanks off the board. On the next batter, Anthony Volpe lined a single to left, but Teoscar Hernandez bounced a perfect throw home to nab Giancarlo Stanton and end the inning.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Yankees looked to rally again, as Juan Soto was on first with one out, and Aaron Judge hit a hard comebacker back to reliever Brusdar Graterol. Graterol briefly fumbled the ball before firing to second base, where Tommy Edman stretched and kept his toes on the back as he snagged the high throw, getting the force and again denying the Yankees a chance to pounce on a potential mistake.
The Dodgers ended the season with the third best defensive runs saved mark in the league, and they are showing why on the biggest stage.
With the way the Yankee offense is going right now, they could use some mistakes, or some form of help from the opposition. The Dodgers are allowing none of it right now, and as a result, there is no margin for error for the Yanks, who are one loss away from being swept in the World Series for the first time since 1976, and the first time by any team since 2012.
