What Do the Dodgers Need To Do To Win the World Series?
Set to face the New York Yankees in an epic World Series, what will it take for the Los Angeles Dodgers to return to the mountaintop?
The stage is set for the 2024 World Series, and what a matchup it’s going to be.
The New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers will kick off the Fall Classic on Friday night, and the Dodgers will look to put the finishing touches on a season that’s been jam-packed with captivating storylines.
It’s no secret the Dodgers have been the team to beat all season long. That sentiment started before the season even began, when they went on a free agent spending frenzy this past offseason and created one of the best lineups the game has seen in recent memory.
But at the end of the day, regardless of how good a team’s roster may be on paper, it still needs to perform on the field.
The Dodgers did just that, despite facing their fair share of adversity this season. Injuries decimated their pitching staff, and they had to fight to get into the position that they’re in today.
Now, despite all the hurdles, they are once again National League champions, and fans are in store for what should be an epic season finale between baseball’s biggest brands.
So, how can the Dodgers return to the mountaintop? Let’s break down their pitching plan, highlight their offensive strengths, and dig into what they need to do in order to become World Champions yet again.
The Dodgers’ Pitching Plan
On Tuesday, Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts shed some light on his pitching plan for the World Series.
Game 1 will go to Jack Flaherty, Yoshinobu Yamamoto will get the ball in Game 2, and Walker Buehler will start either Game 3 or Game 4, with a bullpen game occurring for the remaining game.
Structuring the pitching plan in such a way allows the Dodgers to optimize their starters for the remainder of the series. It allows Flaherty to pitch on four games’ rest in Game 5 and Yamamoto to pitch on his normal five days of rest in Game 6, should the series reach that point.
Game 1 (10/25) | Jack Flaherty |
Game 2 (10/26) | Yoshinobu Yamamoto |
Game 3 (10/28) | Walker Buehler |
Game 4 (10/29) | Bullpen Game |
Game 5 (10/30) | Jack Flaherty |
Game 6 (11/1) | Yoshinobu Yamamoto |
Game 7 (11/2) | TBD |
At the risk of stating the obvious, the Dodgers need their starters to show up in this series.
It’s been somewhat of a mixed bag of performances from each one of their starters to this point. But in a matchup like this, these Dodgers starters need to bring their best stuff to the mound if they want to stifle the Yankees’ bats.
There’s no denying how dominating these arms can be when they are on top of their game, however. They all have the talent, but it’s yet to be seen which version will show up on baseball’s biggest stage.
Flaherty Must Bounce Back
Jack Flaherty 2024 Postseason: 3 GS, 15.1 IP, 15 H, 12 ER, 7 BB, 8 K
Flaherty has emerged as the anchor of this starting rotation, and the Dodgers desperately need him to bounce back in this series.
We’ve seen a bit of everything from Flaherty this postseason. After a fine outing in Game 2 of the NLDS versus the San Diego Padres, Flaherty completely dominated in his next time out in Game 1 of the NLCS against the New York Mets.
In the latter outing, Flaherty went seven shutout innings while allowing just two hits, two walks, and fanning six batters, leading the Dodgers to a decisive victory. He generated 11 whiffs and ended the night with a solid CSW (Called Strike + Whiff) rate of 28%. His stuff looked great all night long.
He looked like a completely different version of himself his next time out, however. In Game 5 of the NLCS, Flaherty got rocked for eight runs in three innings of work. While the eight hits and four walks allowed were certainly concerning, it was his diminished stuff and lack of command that raised red flags.
Flaherty’s four-seam fastball was down over a tick in that outing – a trend that has been noticeable over the course of the postseason – and he was struggling to locate his entire arsenal. As a result, he generated just two whiffs, and there was too much loud contact from the Mets’ hitters.
With how thin this Dodgers rotation is, the team absolutely needs him to recapture his NLDS form if they wish to go toe-to-toe with Gerrit Cole in Game 1.
Fortunately for the Dodgers, Flaherty gets plenty of rest heading into the World Series, so perhaps that time off can fuel a much-needed bounce-back outing for the 29-year-old.
Yamamoto and Buehler Need To Keep Up Their Momentum
Yoshinobu Yamamoto 2024 Postseason: 3 GS, 12.1 IP, 11 H, 7 ER, 4 BB, 11 K
Yamamoto is trending in the right direction heading into the Fall Classic. After a poor MLB postseason debut in Game 1 of the NLDS, he’s starting to round into form on the mound.
The righty looked great in an elimination Game 5 of the NLDS, going five scoreless innings while allowing just three baserunners. The box score from his next outing, Game 4 of the NLCS, wasn’t as flashy, but his stuff still performed well, which is certainly an encouraging sign.
Yamamoto averaged 19 inches of Induced Vertical Break (IVB) on his fastball in that outing, as opposed to 16 inches in his first two postseason starts, and he ended the day with an impressive CSW% of 38%.
If there is an X-factor in this starting rotation, it’s likely Yamamoto. We’ve seen what he can do when he’s healthy and comfortable on the mound, and if he can maintain his momentum heading into Game 2 of this series, with the extended rest, it will pay enormous dividends for this Dodgers pitching staff.
Walker Buehler 2024 Postseason: 2 GS, 9 IP, 10 H, 6 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
It’s also important to remember that, when healthy, Buehler can be one of the best big-game pitchers the sport has to offer.
Buehler didn’t have his best stuff his first time out in Game 3 of the NLDS, but he bounced back in an enormous way in his second outing in Game 3 of the NLCS. Buehler averaged a whopping 20 inches of IVB on his four-seam in that outing, which was a significant and noteworthy jump from past outings.
Combine the life on his fastball with his seemingly-improved sweeper that was getting much more bite than in previous starts, and it was no surprise to see him post an outstanding CSW% of 39% to go with 18 whiffs.
He made the right pitches in the biggest moments, and it’s a reminder of how valuable he can be to this rotation when he is feeling right on the mound.
There’s no denying the level of talent in this Dodgers rotation, but there’s uncertainty regarding which version of these arms will show up. How the Dodgers fare in this series could very well hinge upon the performance of their starters.
Dodgers Must Continue To Lean on a Great Bullpen
The Dodgers’ bullpen has been outstanding in October, sporting a 3.16 ERA heading into the World Series, and they’ve leaned upon their relievers as much as any team this postseason.
Los Angeles utilized all 13 of the arms that were on the NLCS roster, and each one had an important role in securing the NL pennant. With potential reinforcements on the way in Alex Vesia and Brusdar Graterol, their already dominant bullpen could get even stronger.
Like the Yankees, the Dodgers have a bullpen that features both reliable depth and premier top-end talent. They’ve established what the structure of their bullpen will look like heading into the Fall Classic, and this group could be their key to a World Series title.
Pitcher | Appearances | Hits | Earned Runs | Walks | Strikeouts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
RHP Blake Treinen | 6 G; 8IP | 7 H | 1 ER | 2 BB | 11 K |
*RHP Michael Kopech | 6 G; 5.1 IP | 2 H | 1 ER | 4 BB | 7 K |
RHP Evan Phillips | 5 G; 6.2 IP | 3 H | 0 ER | 3 BB | 6 K |
RHP Daniel Hudson | 5 G; 4.1 IP | 4 H | 1 ER | 1 BB | 3 K |
LHP Anthony Banda | 6 G; 5.1 IP | 4 H | 1 ER | 2 BB | 7 K |
*RHP Ryan Brasier | 6 G; 7 IP | 7 H | 4 ER | 2 BB | 4 K |
RHP Brent Honeywell Jr. | 2 G; 7.2 IP | 7 H | 4 ER | 2 BB | 2 K |
RHP Ben Casparius | 3 G; 4.1 IP | 2 H | 0 ER | 2 BB | 4 K |
Los Angeles’ bullpen has produced in all situations this October, whether that be locking down the tail end of ballgames or stepping up in a bullpen game. They have arms that can do it all, and that’s played a big part in getting this team to the World Series.
When the ‘pen is firing on all cylinders, it’s extremely difficult to score off of these Dodgers relievers. But if their starters fail to go deep into ballgames, forcing Dave Roberts to tax his bullpen early and often, that could catch up to them the longer this series goes on.
With both of these teams boasting such lethal bullpens, whichever one falters first could make or break this series.
Can This Dodgers Offense be Stopped?
What more is there to say about this prolific Dodgers offense that hasn’t already been said? Their bats are rolling heading into their matchup with the Yankees, and they’re getting contributions from players all throughout the lineup.
Team | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | ISO | wOBA | K% | BB% | wRC+ |
Dodgers | .251 | .351 | .434 | .785 | .183 | .343 | 20.4% | 12.6% | 122 |
Yankees | .237 | .346 | .414 | .759 | .176 | .330 | 21.9% | 13.9% | 117 |
From top to bottom, the Dodgers have such a well-crafted lineup that can hit for power, hit for contact, and be a threat on the base paths. Throughout these playoffs, the Dodgers are first in runs scored (70); first in homers (20); and first in steals (11).
They are selective at the plate, and they have the ability to score in bunches unlike any team in baseball. With that being said, the Dodgers will need to continue to receive production from their supporting cast if they wish to carry this offensive momentum into the World Series.
Production From the Supporting Cast Could Make the Difference
These are the two best offenses in baseball, and in a matchup as even as this, it could be the production from the role players that creates separation between these two teams.
The amount of star power in this matchup is undeniable, and everyone is expecting the big names to produce. Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, Giancarlo Stanton, Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani, and Freddie Freeman will all certainly get their own. But can the supporting cast members in these lineups help carry the load offensively?
It’s a fascinating question, and one that could ultimately decide the series.
For the Dodgers, they’ve received those contributions up to this point. While Ohtani’s 166 wRC+ and Betts’ 1.063 OPS in these playoffs have certainly propelled the offense forward, it’s been the role players supplementing the rest of the lineup who have helped maintain offensive consistency.
Tommy Edman stepped up in a big way in the NLCS, driving in 11 runs and hitting .407 with an OPS over 1.000 to secure the NLCS MVP. Surely nobody had that on their bingo card heading into the series.
Enrique Hernández continues to show up when the lights are brightest, slashing .303/.378/485 with a 145 wRC+ this postseason.
When going up against high-powered offenses such as the Padres, Mets, and now the Yankees, it’s those types of contributions that can help put the Dodgers’ offense over the top when both offenses in question are capable of scoring at a high level.
Whether it be Will Smith finally getting things going, Teoscar Hernández channeling his NLDS form, or a fresh face stepping up and providing a spark in the middle of the order, this Dodgers offense can be unstoppable if their supporting cast can continue to supplement their superstars.
Final Thoughts: What Will It Take to Win the World Series?
Playing sound baseball will be the key to victory for both of these teams. On this stage, every mistake is magnified. In a matchup such as this, where each team can score in bunches in the blink of an eye, capitalizing on errors will be of the utmost importance.
For the Dodgers, all eyes will be on Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman – and rightfully so. But whether or not they can claim another World Series title could hinge on the performance of their pitching staff and the production of their offensive supporting cast.
This is the product that fans of the game clamor to see. We get to witness the biggest names go at it on the biggest stage, and it will be a matchup worth watching for every single pitch. Regardless of what your rooting interest may be, we are all in store for some incredible baseball in the coming days.