Scout offers Yankees-Dodgers assessments ahead of World Series Game 1

In a clash of titans, the New York Yankees will meet the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series for the 12th time. Game 1 is Friday night at Dodger Stadium (Fox Sports, 8:08 ET).

The highly anticipated series features five former MVPs — New York’s Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton and L.A.’s Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman — and the teams with the second-highest (Yankees, $309,434,607) and fifth-highest payrolls (Dodgers, $241,010,117 ), per Spotrac.

Before the World Series, Yardbarker spoke to a Major League Baseball scout, who assessed both teams. In exchange for his candor, YB granted him anonymity.

Yankees’ power hitters

The Bronx Bombers feature the soon-to-be American League MVP in Judge (58 HRs, .322 BA) and a rejuvenated Stanton (27 HRs, .233 BA). Stanton hit only two home runs in the final 19 regular-season games, but he has five in nine postseason games, including one in each of the final three ALCS games. 

“He’s a swing-and-miss guy who didn’t miss in the ALCS,” the scout said of Stanton. “Cleveland made mistakes over the plate to him. You can pitch to him, but right now he’s not missing on pitchers’ mistakes.”

While Stanton has flourished, Judge has had a rougher go in the postseason. He is 5-for-31 in nine games with two home runs and 13 strikeouts, but his performance thus far means little, according to the scout. He’s still a player who can change a game — or series — with one swing.

“It’s so important to make sure nobody gets on base ahead of him,” said the scout. “Solo home runs aren’t going to beat you. He hit some good pitches against Cleveland, and he’s become a much better hitter. If you don’t execute your game plan against him, he will hurt you.”

Dodgers superstar Ohtani

The best player in baseball is finally in the World Series. That’s not something MLB has been able to say for quite some time. The left-handed-hitting Ohtani is coming in red hot after hitting .364 with a 1.185 OPS in the NLCS against the New York Mets. Do the Yankees have an answer for him?

“It’s going to be very hard for the Yankees,” said the scout. “Carlos Rodon (16-9, 3.96 ERA) could be a challenge because he’s left-handed, but their right-handed pitchers are going to have a tough time. Gerrit Cole (8-5, 3.41 ERA) can beat anybody when he makes his pitches, but Ohtani isn’t just anybody.”

Here’s the dilemma for the Yankees: Do they aim to stop or limit Ohtani? Or do they simply worry about the other hitters in the loaded L.A. lineup?

“If the Yankees angle to stop Ohtani, then they will just get hurt by [Mookie] Betts, [Teoscar] Hernandez and [Will] Smith,” said the scout. “The Dodgers lineup is very deep and they can mix and match to anything an opponent throws at them.”

Stopping the running game

Stolen bases are back in the MLB with 3,617 recorded this season, the most in 109 years. The Dodgers ranked 10th in the MLB with 136 steals, but 24th in caught stealing at just 23. They also lead all teams in the postseason with 11 steals.

That puts pressure on Yankees catcher Austin Wells. Can he keep L.A.’s many running threats at bay? It’s not necessarily all on him.

“Wells is much improved,” said the scout of the catcher’s defense. “He was a deficient catcher coming out of the (2020) draft. He’s throwing better than he has in the past, but his pitchers have to give him a chance. The Dodgers will try to steal, and it’s so important Yankee pitchers hold those runners on base. Wells won’t have a chance if they don’t.”

Yankees reliever Luke Weaver

The postseason always holds a few surprises. None is bigger this season than Weaver, a first-round pick in 2014 by the St. Louis Cardinals. Earlier this year, the journeyman reliever was ineffective, but he later morphed into a lockdown closer after Clay Holmes’ ineffectiveness. 

In the ALCS, Weaver (7-3, 2.89 ERA) blew a save, but he has four saves and a win in the postseason. Overall, he has 12 strikeouts and one walk.

“Earlier in the year Weaver was just hanging on,” said the scout. “All of a sudden he’s gained confidence and is throwing unhittable fastballs at the top of the zone. His changeup is effective. He’s surprised everybody.”

Who will be the breakout star?

With five former MVPs in the series, much of the attention will be on them, but the playoffs have a way of lifting up the lesser known. No doubt at least one of the MVPs will leave their mark on the series, but history tells us there could well be a moment such as the one White Sox unheralded Geoff Blum had in the 2005 World Series.

“Jazz Chisholm (24 HRs, 73 RBI) isn’t quite the hitter that some of his teammates are,” the scout said of New York’s infielder/outfielder. “But he has talent, and he’s going to be pitched to because of the stars in front of him. The Dodgers can’t lose focus and give him too many pitches to hit. He can really hurt you if you’re not careful.”

All quotations obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.