MLB: Yankees-Dodgers World Series is a Matchup to Dream For
The Yankees and Dodgers are squaring off in a possible World Series preview this weekend, so who would win if they play in October?
The Yankees and Dodgers are two of the best three teams in the league, but I believe they are frankly in a class below the Astros.
But that is a story for another day.
A Dodgers-Yankees World Series would be the most intriguing World Series possible.
You have the best teams in the biggest markets squaring off. There would be a huge amount of viewers and plenty of money spent.
The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees both have at least 83 wins and have great lineups with star power galore.
Aaron Boone has cemented himself as an AL Manager of the Year candidate, as he has been able to lead a team that has had every star player imaginable hurt at one point in the season.
Despite last year’s questionable World Series, Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts has quietly guided his team to the best record in the league and over 20 games in front of second place on the NL West.
Both teams will get deep into October, so it is intriguing to think of what could come in the Fall Classic.
So, who would win?
State of the Dodgers
The Dodgers, on one hand, have dominated their division and the National League entirely, as they will easily glide into the top seed in the National League come October.
They have been led by probable NL MVP Cody Bellinger’s 42 home runs and have had great success in their rotation including Hyun-Jin Ryu leading the NL in ERA in the first half of the season and Clayton Kershaw being undefeated at home so far.
It seems like they have at least one or two walk-off wins each week, including back-to-back walk-off wins against the Blue Jays this week.
But obviously they yet again have an Achilles heel and it’s the bullpen.
It seems like it is an annual occasion that the Dodgers have needed to add a big bullpen piece at the Trade Deadline, but the front office hasn’t pulled the trigger.
This year they had plenty of options.
Shane Greene, who went to Atlanta who they might end up having to face in October, was a good option.
What about Brad Hand? Felipe Vasquez?
Nope. The Dodgers instead picked up one arm…. Adam Kolerek from the Rays.
Who? Exactly.
Kolarek is not going to win you a World Series.
The State of the Yankees
On the other hand, the Yankees have had a great bullpen this season but they are most likely going to be without Dellin Betances.
Luis Severino, who should have been the ace this year, has been sidelined but could make a return, not in the rotation but the bullpen for the Postseason.
He is scheduled to be starting in rehab games in two weeks.
While the Dodgers have a great rotation, New York has a huge hole in theirs.
It seems like Domingo German and Masahiro Tanaka would be starting the first two games of a World Series with James Paxton getting the nod in Game 3.
The Yankees needed to fill a hole at the deadline. Did they make a single move to improve that hole?
Nope.
Then, the big story of this season has been the injuries.
Not one Yankees fan cares that key players like Giancarlo Stanton, Edwin Encarnacion, Aaron Hicks, Luke Voit, Miguel Andujar, and Greg Bird are on the Injured List.
All they care about is if they will be ready for October to win a championship.
A few of them might, but the injuries have been too steep of a number this year to realistically think they won’t be without some key players.
Luke Voit is slated for a rehab assignment, and he has been with the Triple-A squad trying to come back from a sports hernia.
Betances is scheduled to throw simulated games Saturday and Tuesday.
Stanton ran on the field before New York’s game vs the Athletics. He has been battling a PCL Strain.
With all that said the Yankees can still match up well against a Dodgers lineup.
Besides the injuries, the Yankees would still be set up to give the Dodgers a run for their money.
Who’s got the edge?
Here is a look at the projected lineups for each team if the Dodgers were to have home-field advantage.
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Dodgers
- A.J. Pollock
- Justin Turner
- Max Muncy
- Cody Bellinger
- Corey Seager
- Chris Taylor
- Kike Hernandez
- Will Smith
- Pitcher
Yankees
- D.J. LeMahieu
- Aaron Judge
- Gleyber Torres
- Gary Sanchez
- Didi Gregorius
- Gio Urshela
- Brett Gardner
- Cameron Maybin
- Pitcher
As you can see, both lineups are pretty balanced throughout the order so pitching will be the key to winning a potential postseason series.
The Yankees hole and Dodgers strength is the rotation.
The Dodgers hole and Yankees strength is the bullpen.
Those two factors will decide a World Series if the two teams were to match up.
In the postseason, starters are held on short leashes as there is no room for error, so the deeper your bullpen is the better off you are going to be.
With that said, the Dave Roberts has been known to take his starters out of the game too early, which may have lost them a World Series game last year, and I wouldn’t bet on Pedro Baez or Joe Kelly to come in and tame the Yankees sluggers.
Next. Marlins: Brian Anderson suffers broken left hand. dark
The Yankees would win in a World Series matchup vs the Dodgers because they have a better bullpen and can hold their own with their lineup vs the Dodgers.