MidValleySports.Com

By Those Deferred BenchWarmers

The World series rematch delivered (if you’re a Dodgers fan) as the first game felt very similar to the last time the two teams met in Game 5 last season, and Saturday’s 18-2 record-setting win was filled with good vibes from start to finish. Sunday was forgettable, as the Dodgers looked like the Yankees playing defense and Yoshinobu Yamamoto couldn’t get out of the fourth inning.

The Weekend in Review

Headline for the Weekend: Dodgers Win World Series Rematch

Results: The Dodgers took two of three from the Yankees, with a come from behind victory in game 1 and a dominant 18-2 win in game 2.

Pitching Analysis: Not many would have predicted that Yoshinobu Yamamoto would last the shortest among the three starters, but giving up 5 hits with two strikes will do that to you. The Yankees did a great job fighting off Yamamoto’s “out pitches” often fouling off a couple of two strike pitches before banging a hit. That drove up Yamamoto’s pitch count and is one of the reasons he did not last past the fourth inning.

On the positive side, Tony Gonsolin gave a gutsy performance in game 1, giving up 4 home runs but still lasting six innings. Landon Knack was stellar in his start, also going six innings. Knack struck out 6 and only allowed one run (it is a lot easier to pitch when your offense explodes for 10 runs in the first two innings of the game). Pitcher Kiké made an appearance in game 2, needing just 7 pitches to shut the Yankees down in the ninth.

Hitting Analysis: There was a lot to like in games 1 and 2, as the Dodgers forced Max Fried into his worst start of the season (by far) and pounded Yankee pitching for 18 runs in game 2. Yankee starter Ryan Yarbough kept the Dodgers off balance in game 3, however, as he scattered four hits in six innings.

The Dodgers Team RISP is usually a good indicator of their performance: In game 1 they were a solid 3 for 7, with Andy Pages and Freddie Freeman leading the way. In game 2, they were an impressive 9 for 17, led by Max Muncy. In game 3, they had just two opportunities: Andy Pages was thrown out trying to steal third after one pitch the first time, and Miguel Rojas lined out to center with runners on first and second in the fifth.

The great news is Max Muncy seems like he’s all the way back, as he batted .500 this series with three home runs and 8 RBI.

Takeaway for the Weekend: This has probably been a takeaway for the past several series where he has gotten extended run, but Hyeseong Kim NEEDS more playing time. In Thursday’s demolition of the Yankees, Kim went 4 for 4 with a home run and a walk… all while playing two positions – and making a legitimate impact at both. First, he had a nifty unassisted double play on a line drive at short, then a couple innings later threw out Aaron Judge from center when Judge tried to extend a single into a double. Kim did not get the start Sunday, but it’s baseball malpractice at this point to not let him play at this point.

Around the MLB:

Mariners’ infielder Cole Young capped off his major league debut with his first career RBI: an 11th inning walkoff to give the Mariners a 5-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins.

The Mets hired Lew Sherr, who oversees the US Open (Tennis) as their new president of business operations

Diamondbacks Ace Corbin Burnes left Sunday’s start with an apparent elbow injury; he’s scheduled for an MRI today.

Andrew McCutchen tied Roberto Clemente for third place on the Pirates’ all-time HR list with his third inning 2 run home run on Sunday. Both players have hit 240 home runs.

Next Series’ Preview

Matchups: The Dodgers welcome another New York team, the Mets, for a four game set at Dodger Stadium.

Analysis: The Dodgers lost two of three to the Mets last weekend, and will face Griffin Canning, who couldn’t get out of the third last time, and David Peterson, who shut down LA in New York. Peterson kept Ohtani in check in New York, calling him “just another hitter” in his post game interview. We’ve highlighted this LCS stretch for a while, and the Dodgers sit at 5-4 during it, with 4 games remaining. All the positive vibes from this weekend can quickly be erased if the Dodgers falter at home against the Mets.

What to Look For: The storylines are everywhere this week: Will Kim continue to get playing time? What will Mookie Betts look like in his return? Will Juan Soto bust out of his season-long slump? How will Shohei Ohtani fare against Peterson the second time around? Can the trio of May, Kershaw, and Gonsolin continue their progress back from injury? Can Michael Conforto continue his upward trend against his former team?