World Series Game 1 is HERE.
The New York Yankees vs the Los Angeles Dodgers is a pairing made from Rob Manfred’s dreams, and that’s setting aside the fact that Shohei Ohtani is involved. And while there are definitely haters out there lamenting this particular matchup of giants, I’m into it. If not for the spectacle of the league’s two most well-known teams (from the country’s biggest cities), then at least to see what MLB can do with this GOLDEN opportunity for attention.
Put simply, if MLB can’t rally eyeballs for Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, and Geritt Cole in a Dodgers-Yankees World Series matchup, then they are truly doomed. It doesn’t really get any bigger than this, especially now that the Cubs have won it all (I don’t think I’m being a homer when I say that a Cubs World Series had to be right up there in terms of the most marketable championship characteristics for MLB, right?).
Anyway, it all starts tonight at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Cole is pitching for the Yankees and Jack Flaherty takes the ball for the Dodgers.
Former Cub Anthony Rizzo is in the starting lineup for World Series Game 1 tonight (as is Gleyber Torres, if you count him as a former Cub). I don’t know that I really have a rooting interest, but I reserve the right to make up that decision later.
Indeed, I’m a bit torn on how I want this to go altogether. On the one hand, I want the series to go seven games, because that’ll just be good old-fashioned fun. But on the other, I want the offseason to start as soon as possible. And that can’t start until the World Series is over.
World Series Game 1: Yankees (0-0) at Dodgers (0-0)
Location: Dodger Stadium
Time: 7:08 pm CT
Broadcast Info: FOX, ESPN Radio
Pitching Matchup:
- Yankees: Geritt Cole, RHP
- Dodgers: Jack Flaherty, RHP
New York Yankees Lineup:
- Gleyber Torres, 2B
- Juan Soto, RF
- Aaron Judge, CF
- Giancarlo Stanton, DH
- Jazz Chisholm Jr., 3B
- Anthony Rizzo, 1B
- Anthony Volpe, SS
- Austin Wells, C
- Alex Verdugo, LF
Los Angeles Dodgers Lineup:
- Shohei Ohtani, DH
- Mookie Betts, RF
- Freddie Freeman, 1B
- Teoscar Hernadez, LF
- Max Muncy, 3B
- Enrique Hernandez, CF
- Will Smith, C
- Gavin Lux, 2B
- Tommy Edman, SS