BRONX, NY — Perhaps there will be a potential reunion in October with the Yankees and Dodgers, a 2024 World Series rematch? The preseason expectations had pointed to another meeting after the Dodgers successfully went back-to-back.
Two seasons ago, it was Yankees-Dodgers and memories of a New York baseball rivalry. That was then and now the Yankees have been in a struggle as Los Angeles, favorites to three-peat as World Series champions, continue to surge to another National League West division title.
The Dodgers’ back-to-back World Series run (2024 & 2025) all began at Yankee Stadium by defeating the Yankees in Game 5 of the 2024 Fall Classic to clinch the World Series in five games – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
The three-game series at Yankee Stadium this weekend was about the Dodgers’ pitching, productive at-bats, and runs scored from one-to-nine. They stand with the Brewers as the top two teams in the NL.
The Yankees, after losing Friday evening and the first of a split admission day-night doubleheader Sunday, needed a win in the nightcap.
Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers (63-37) are cruising to another NL West division title with a 11.5 game lead as of Sunday, July 19th – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
They got that 2-1 win and it was Jazz Chisholm Jr., breaking a 1-1 tie on a home run in the eighth inning. It was more than avoiding a three-game sweep, instead a tight one-run victory to move on to the Pirates this week in their yard. A tough road trip ahead after Pittsburgh with three at Philadelphia and six games combined in Chicago against the Cubs and surprising AL Central leading White Sox.
Chisholm said his team needs to score more in late innings, his dramatic home run to left center off a 1-0 fastball to the opposite field was a good sign. His clutch blast came off of Dodgers’ Evan Phillps—one of seven pitchers used in LA’s bullpen game.
“I just forgot about all the stuff that happened early in the game and locked in on that one at-bat” said Chisholm in reference to the Yankees, again, failing to hit and score.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto tossed a complete game earlier in the day, the 27-year-old’s first career regular season complete game in MLB. The Yankees were silenced and held to four hits in a 8-2 loss.
A sweep at the hands of the defending World Series champs was not on the Yankees agenda.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched a four hit complete game in Game 1 of Sunday’s day-night doubleheader against the Yankees with seven strikeouts – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
By sending six to the plate in the first inning, there appeared a rare early Yankees lead in the nightcap, included with a run scoring single off the bat of Cody Bellinger who said the Chisholm home run (No. 14 of 2026) was a huge swing and with opposite field power.
He also said it was a huge win. The Yankees would not allow the Dodgers to leave the Bronx with a sweep. Next time they believe it can be a rematch in October but for that to occur, more from Chisholm and the Yankees lineup will be needed down the stretch.
Another team to worry about is the Red Sox (50-48), riding a 13-game winning streak. Boston is inching closer and closer in the AL East standings and are currently in the AL Wild Card picture. The Orioles (49-51) are also on a run, the Yankees (55-44) know even with a 1.5 game deficit from the division leading Rays (56-42) that this could become an interesting division and Wild Card race.
Without Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton in the everyday lineup, the Yankees will need consistent production out of Trent Grisham, Ben Rice, Cody Bellinger, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Though that Sunday afternoon loss is nothing to brag about—the Yankees’ ninth loss in their last ten games at the new stadium, which was previously done in 1965, 1972, 1986, and 2003 at the old ballpark across the street.
And a constant theme from those losses were on display in the fifth inning. No outs after three straight singles with a golden opportunity to cash in, and Jasson Domínguez struck out swinging on a 2-2 cutter. Then on the first pitch, Chisholm popped out to third while Anthony Volpe swung and missed at a 3-2 fastball, leaving the bases loaded.
Basically lots of runners left on base in the three-game series. Nothing to brag about.
The Yankees failed to execute with runners in scoring position over the weekend against the Dodgers, going 3-18 with RISP across the three games – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
“We’ve got to be more consistent offensively, first and foremost,” said manager Aaron Boone. “That’s been the biggest thing that I think has ailed us through these few weeks. There were a couple of games where we didn’t play clean.”
Boone said as a group they need to improve offensively and be more complete, it’s a matter of getting on base and making things happen without the run production capability from Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. Each of their returns to the lineup continues to be a question on when.
Nevertheless, the starters in pinstripes are pushing through even though Cam Schlittler (4 IP, 5 H, 3R, 8K) could not outduel Yamamoto (9 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 7 K) and sustained his sixth loss of the season.
Cam Schlittler and the Yankees’ starting pitching staff have done their part this season, combining for a 3.40 ERA, and that’s with Gerrit Cole, Max Fried and Carlos Rodón missing time due to injuries – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
The second affair was a bullpen game for the Yankees as Ryan Yarbrough, Paul Blackburn, Brent Headrick kept the Dodgers in check and left it to David Bendnar to get the win, getting the final five outs.
Yet it was Chisholm who prevented the sweep, perhaps not the season defining moment but a win the Yankees needed. The Yankees would not allow the Dodgers to offer that repeat of 2024 in the Bronx even though this was the first series after the All-Star break and not October baseball.
“I think out of the break, we expect more out of ourselves,” said Bellinger, the 2026 All-Star Game MVP. “It’s a good pitching staff over there (Dodgers) but we obviously expect to be better.”
Rich Mancuso is a senior writer and columnist at LatinoSports.com with coverage of MLB, boxing, and MLS – X: @Ring786, Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso
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