History Favors Yankees Over Dodgers With or Without Shohei Ohtani

The New York Yankees have the Los Angeles Dodgers right where they want them even if Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is healthy enough to play in Game 3 of the World Series on Monday night at Yankee Stadium.The Dodgers designated hitter suffered a partially dislocated shoulder attempting to steal second base in the seventh inning during Game 2 on Saturday night at Los Angeles. Mr. Ohtani, the first player to amass 50 home runs and 50 steals in a single season, underwent an MRI exam, and “he’s playing,” in Game 3, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told ESPN.Mr. Ohtani’s availability should add to the Dodgers’ confidence built after winning the first two games at Los Angeles where Freddie Freeman crushed a dramatic walk-off grand slam in Game 1, and the Dodgers pitchers limited the Yankees to just three hits for a 4-2 win in Game 2.What might seem like a dark situation for the Yankees is a good omen. The last two times these teams were matched in the Fall Classic, visiting teams lost the first two games then won the next four to capture the world championship.In 1978, the Dodgers won Games 1 and 2 at Dodger Stadium. But the Yankees captured three straight in the Bronx on a complete game by Ron Guidry in Game 3, a 10th-inning walk-off single by Lou Pinella in Game 4, and a 15-2 beat down of the Dodgers in Game 5. Catfish Hunter went seven strong innings in Game 6 to clinch the championship in California. Mr. October Reggie Jackson added a three-run homer and Bucky Dent had three hits and three RBI.The roles reversed in 1981. The Yankees won the first two games in the Bronx, but Fernando Valenzuela tossed a complete-game victory in Game 3 and the Dodgers overcame a 4-0 deficit to tie the series in Game 4. Jerry Reuss was brilliant in a complete-game win for the Dodgers in Game 5, sending the series back to New York where Pedro Guerrero drove in five runs on three hits for the championship.Will history repeat itself? The Yankees hope so. “No one said it was going to be easy,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “It’s going to be a long series and we need to make it a long series now.”The World Series was cast as a matchup of the two best players in baseball: Mr. Ohtani, who signed a $700 million contract to join the Dodgers, and Aaron Judge, the Yankees captain. Mr. Ohtani has just one hit and is now struggling with an injury, while Mr. Judge is battling a massive slump at the worst time. The Yankees captain has struck out six times in nine at-bats in the World Series, including a 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in Game 2.Mr. Judge, the Yankees centerfielder, smashed 58 home runs during the regular season and is the favorite to win the Most Valuable Player Award in the American League. His early struggles in the World Series are part of a quiet Yankees offense that managed just five runs in 19 innings and batting .143 with runners in scoring position.“I’ve definitely got to step up,” Mr. Judge said after Game 2. “I’ve got to do my job. Guys are doing their job getting on base, and I’m failing to back them up. We’ve got to turn it around in Game 3.”Mr. Judge admitted he’s chasing pitches out of the strike zone and needs to be more selective. “I’ve got to lock in on my zone,” he said, adding, “You have to get a pitch in the zone and drive it.”Mr. Boone is confident Mr. Judge will find his hitting stroke and help the Yankees get back in the series. “It’s about getting in that good position where the swing decisions follow that,” the manager said. “He’s working through that and when it happens, it happens in a (snap).”Yankees outfield Juan Soto, who had two hits including a home run in Game 2, is confident Mr. Judge will get going. “It’s all about one at-bat,” Mr. Soto said about Mr. Judge. “When you’re a hitter like him, and he’s one of the greatest, it’s only going to take one at-bat to get locked in and be on it.”If Mr. Judge gets hot, maybe history can repeat itself.

History Favors Yankees Over Dodgers With or Without Shohei Ohtani

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