Seven takeaways from Yankees-Dodgers weekend showdown
LOS ANGELES — They tried to downplay it, within the days main as much as it and the nights in between, however after it was over, and the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers had accomplished a three-game collection that was among the many most anticipated of the season, there was an acknowledgement of heightened zest.
“It felt large,” Yankees supervisor Aaron Boone mentioned.
“It was completely thrilling,” Dodgers infielder Max Muncy added. “It is onerous to not let it creep into your head that this may very well be a preview of one thing within the fall.”
The Dodgers and Yankees — two franchises which have met 11 occasions within the World Sequence, excess of another mixture of groups — had been going through each other for the primary time since September 2016. It marked the primary time they held the very best file of their respective leagues this late within the season since 2009, and the primary time that they ever met within the common season underneath these circumstances.
A World Sequence matchup that supplied Don Larsen’s good recreation, Reggie Jackson’s home-run barrage and Sandy Amoros’ lunging catch may very nicely happen once more in late October. Earlier than that, the Dodgers and Yankees staged a weekend collection in what has in any other case been a sluggish August, with each groups possessing main divisional leads and donning hideous black-and-white uniforms.
The Yankees took two of three, changing into the primary group to restrict the Dodgers to 5 runs in a collection this season.
Under are seven takeaways:
Yankees feast off lefties — and that is an issue for the Dodgers
The Yankees have a number of potent right-handed hitters of their lineup, so it must be no shock that they possess an .866 OPS towards lefty starters this season (third highest within the majors, behind solely the Minnesota Twins and the Houston Astros). The loopy half is that they are doing all of it with out Giancarlo Stanton, one of many league’s most menacing right-handed sluggers. And the scary half for the Dodgers is that their two finest starters, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Clayton Kershaw, throw left-handed. And so does Wealthy Hill, who is anticipated to rejoin the rotation in October.
“Bronx Bombers — I do not know what else to say,” Choose mentioned when instructed his group set a file with 61 house runs within the month of August. “We have an important lineup. I’ve by no means been on a group earlier than that, 1 via 9, they will damage you, and even the fellows off the bench.”
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Aaron Choose takes Clayton Kershaw deep for his 99th profession house run, and offers the Yankees a 2-1 lead.
Choose is feeling it once more
Choose was so in his bag this weekend that he promised a fan a house run and delivered. He hit three of them within the collection, one in every recreation — one to left, one to heart and one to proper. The Yankees’ prodigious slugger has amassed 4 house runs over his final six video games, giving him 99 for his profession. After a sluggish begin to August, Choose has amassed 12 hits in his final 33 at-bats.
“I am glad to see him getting outcomes, however I knew that was a matter of time,” Boone mentioned. “You are not going to carry greatness down too lengthy, and he is actually a man that the larger the stage, he enjoys that. You’ll be able to inform he liked being part of these video games.”
Bullpens would play a significant component
The Yankees have hit the second-most house runs within the sport, and the Dodgers, with a pitcher usually occupying a spot of their lineup, rank third. Each groups can mash. It is no secret. However each lineups are additionally good at working deep counts and getting opposing beginning pitchers out of the sport comparatively shortly. It means the bullpens would play a significant component in a possible World Sequence assembly. And the Yankees in all probability have the benefit there.
The Dodgers’ bullpen really sports activities a barely higher ERA, WHIP and strikeout-to-walk ratio, however these numbers are deceiving. Yankees relievers have needed to choose up greater than 100 further innings as a result of the beginning rotation has been so ineffective, which implies extra innings soaked up by subpar relievers. New York’s top-end mixture of Aroldis Chapman, Adam Ottavino, Zack Britton, Tommy Kahnle and, probably, Dellin Betances must be feared.
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A distinct Kenley Jansen?
Jansen sat within the Dodgers’ dugout on Thursday afternoon and talked about how a lot he was wanting ahead to the upcoming collection towards the Yankees. The stakes would not match these of October, however the power may mimic it. He believed he may profit from the additional dose of adrenaline. Within the center recreation, with the Dodgers main by a run within the ninth, the Yankees loaded the bases with one out on three well-placed grounders, however Jansen wiggled out of hassle with back-to-back strikeouts. One in all his cutters was thrown 96 mph, a mark Jansen hadn’t reached because the center of April.
“Simply one other save,” mentioned Jansen, who holds a career-high three.62 ERA and 6 blown saves whereas having to sequence his pitches for principally the primary time in his profession. “The most important step for me is simply to be pleased. Cease being offended and fear about outcomes and stuff like that. Simply be pleased. This group is particular. Be pleased about it. When the time involves go on the market, to assist our guys win ballgames, simply benefit from the second.”
Some much-needed familiarity
After mustering just one hit in 10 at-bats over the weekend, Cody Bellinger was requested what he may take away from this collection to assist in a possible October rematch.
“Simply getting conversant in the pitchers,” Bellinger mentioned. “It is in all probability the identical for them.”
The Yankees had by no means seen Saturday starter Tony Gonsolin and the Dodgers had by no means seen Sunday starter Domingo German. Not one of the Dodgers’ starters on Friday had ever confronted James Paxton, and just one Yankees starter, D.J. LeMahieu, had racked up greater than 5 plate appearances towards Ryu. It is what you may anticipate from two groups that hadn’t confronted one another in three years.
Fatigue setting in for Ryu?
Ryu has already thrown 152⅔ innings, simply 61 fewer than his complete output from 2015 to 2018. And maybe he is beginning to really feel the consequences of that. Ryu was charged with seven earned runs via simply 4⅓ innings within the collection opener — the identical quantity he had allowed in 77⅔ innings at house heading in to the sport. Ryu has allowed 11 runs over his final 10 innings, elevating his ERA from 1.45 to 2.00. The Dodgers say fatigue just isn’t an element, however they are going to nonetheless attempt to discover him some relaxation shifting ahead.
You’ll be able to thank a viral “hot-mic” video from a man referred to as Jomboy. Coley Harvey »
Incomplete rosters
The Yankees are — perpetually — incomplete. However Stanton, one of many recreation’s premier sluggers, and Betances, among the many most prestigious energy relievers, ought to return earlier than the postseason. So ought to designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion, first baseman Luke Voit, heart fielder Aaron Hicks and beginning pitcher Luis Severino.
The Dodgers are with out lefty reliever Julio Urias (underneath suspension for an additional week), outfielder Alex Verdugo (working his means again into baseball actions after happening with an indirect harm three weeks in the past) and beginning pitcher Hill (progressing towards going through hitters in his return from an elbow harm). Issues may look appreciably totally different if these groups face one another once more.