LIVE: Dodgers-Yankees World Series Game 3 (FOX)
NEW YORK -- Assuming the voting results for the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani and the Yankees’ Aaron Judge go as we expect them to go (hint: they will), this is only the seventh World Series to feature that season’s two MVPs.
But as the Series shifts to the Bronx for Game 3 on Monday night at Yankee Stadium, with the Dodgers up 2-0 in the best-of-seven, the big stars are faced with big questions -- about Ohtani’s availability and Judge’s invisibility.
Ohtani suffered a left shoulder subluxation in the seventh inning of the Dodgers’ 4-2 victory in Game 2 on Saturday night when he slid into second on an unsuccessful steal attempt. The injury looked bad, but Ohtani is officially in the lineup for Game 3.
“If he feels good enough to go,” manager Dave Roberts told reporters on Sunday, “I see no reason he won’t be in there.”
Even though he's in the lineup, it remains to be seen if Ohtani is at the full extent of his capabilities. But either way, the Dodgers are in a great position in this Series. Both games at Dodger Stadium came down to a bases-loaded situation, and they both ended with an L.A. victory. Now, the Dodgers are just two wins away from their second World Series title in the last five years and their first in a full season since 1988.
The Yankees, meanwhile, aren’t sweating an injury when it comes to Judge, but they’d sure feel better about their chances of mounting a rally in this Series if his booming bat would come into play.
Through two games against the Dodgers, Judge is 1-for-9 with six strikeouts. For the postseason as a whole, he’s 6-for-40 with 19 strikeouts. It’s a far cry from a regular season in which Judge’s 58 homers, 144 RBIs and 1.159 OPS made for one of the best performances by a right-handed hitter in history.
“I’ve definitely got to step up, and I’ve got to do my job,” Judge said. “Guys around me are doing their jobs, getting on base, and I’m failing at backing them up. We’ve got to turn it around in Game 3.”
The Yankees are up against it now. Only 15 teams in 92 tries have won a best-of-seven postseason series in which they dropped the first two games. And so, as their Game 3 starter Clarke Schmidt takes the ball opposite the Dodgers’ Walker Buehler, they’re going to need to feed off the energy of a hungry crowd that hasn’t seen a World Series home game in the Bronx since the Yanks’ 2009 title run.
“It’ll be a great atmosphere,” slugger Giancarlo Stanton said. “They’ll bring the noise. They understand what’s at stake right now.”
When is the game and how can I watch it?
Game 3 of the World Series will be played at Yankee Stadium in New York on Monday at 8:08 p.m. ET/5:08 p.m. PT. All World Series games will start at the same time and be televised on FOX.
All games are available in the U.S. on MLB.TV (authentication to a participating Pay TV provider is required). Live games are also available in select countries outside the U.S. For full details, click here.
Who are the starting pitchers?
Dodgers: RHP Walker Buehler (1-6, 5.38 ERA in the regular season)
Buehler’s regular season didn’t go as expected once he returned from a second Tommy John surgery, but the right-hander has had a strong postseason for the Dodgers. Buehler’s final line against the Padres in NLDS Game 3 looks worse than his overall performance. He then bounced back in a pivotal Game 3 in the NLCS, tossing four scoreless innings against the Mets.
The right-hander has always been a strong postseason performer, and his next challenge will be the biggest: Help the Dodgers take an even more commanding series lead in the Bronx.
Yankees: RHP Clarke Schmidt (5-5, 2.85 ERA in the regular season)
Schmidt will make his third career postseason start and his first in the World Series. He tossed 4 2/3 innings of two-run ball in each of his first two outings this October, taking no-decisions against the Royals and Guardians. Schmidt pitched to a 4.50 ERA in eight home starts during the regular season, compared to a 1.39 ERA in eight road outings.
What are the starting lineups?
Dodgers: Ohtani is good to go at his usual leadoff spot.
- Shohei Ohtani, DH
- Mookie Betts, RF
- Freddie Freeman, 1B
- Teoscar Hernández, LF
- Max Muncy, 3B
- Will Smith, C
- Gavin Lux, 2B
- Kiké Hernández, CF
- Tommy Edman, SS
Yankees: Jose Trevino got the start in Game 3 over Austin Wells, who has gone 4-for-41 this postseason and 1-for-8 over the first two World Series games. Rizzo and Volpe flipped spots in the order from Games 1 and 2.
- Gleyber Torres, 2B
- Juan Soto, RF
- Aaron Judge, CF
- Giancarlo Stanton, DH
- Jazz Chisholm Jr., 3B
- Anthony Volpe, SS
- Anthony Rizzo, 1B
- Jose Trevino, C
- Alex Verdugo, LF
How will the bullpens line up after the starter?
Dodgers: Anthony Banda, Alex Vesia, Michael Kopech and Blake Treinen pitched in both games and could be somewhat limited heading into Game 3. Having the off-day does help, but the Dodgers will need to be mindful of the fact that they have a bullpen game lined up for Tuesday’s Game 4. But if the Dodgers take an early lead and have an opportunity to win a third game in the series, Roberts will be aggressive with his high-leverage relievers.
Yankees: The Yankees had to backfill Game 2 after Carlos Rodón registered only 10 outs. Jake Cousins (21 pitches), Tim Hill (14 pitches), Clay Holmes (23 pitches), and Mark Leiter Jr. (9 pitches) were all used, but an off-day between games helps. Cousins and Holmes also pitched in Game 1.
Any injuries of note?
Dodgers: Ohtani was the biggest concern heading into this game but he won't miss any time.
Yankees: Rizzo is playing through two fractured fingers on his right hand, which is a pain tolerance issue, as the fractures won’t heal until the offseason. Infielder DJ LeMahieu (right hip impingement) has been continuing to hit and field throughout the playoffs.
Who is hot and who is not?
Dodgers: Edman continues his hot hitting, following up a two-hit Game 1 with a solo homer and a double in Game 2. Freeman has also homered in back-to-back games, extending his World Series home run streak to four games.
Yankees: Juan Soto homered and had two hits in Game 2. Of his four homers this postseason, three have given the Yankees the lead, and one has tied the game. Stanton has six homers and 14 RBIs this postseason. Rizzo has produced a .520 on-base percentage. Judge continues to slump, now 6-for-40 (.150) with 19 strikeouts during this postseason. Jazz Chisholm Jr. (.186 BA) and Austin Wells (.098 BA) also have struggled.
Anything else fans might want to know?
• There's a lot to know just about Game 2! Catch up on all the amazing factoids here, and look back at all the fun facts from Game 1 here.
• The Yankees have won eight of the previous 11 World Series meetings between the clubs (1941, 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953, 1956, 1977, 1978). The Dodgers were victorious three times (1955, 1963, 1981).
• The Dodgers and Yankees had a World Series preview June 7-9 at Yankee Stadium, with Los Angeles winning two of the three games. Teoscar Hernández had a go-ahead, two-run double in the 11th inning of the first game, a 2-1 Dodgers win, then hit two homers in an 11-3 rout the next night. The Yanks salvaged the finale with a 6-4 win, powered by Trent Grisham's three-run homer off Tyler Glasnow.