NEW YORK – In the aftermath of his team’s 4-2 win over the New York Yankees Monday night, Dave Roberts didn’t want to go there.
If anyone knows about coming back from 3-0 deficits, it’s Roberts, whose pivotal stolen base in Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS helped spark the Red Sox to a comeback for the ages over the Yankees that year. But two decades later, as the 2024 Yankees try to mount a historic comeback of their own over the Dodgers team Roberts now manages, he wasn’t inclined to spend much time reflecting on what happened in Boston 20 years ago.
“I don't want to divulge any secrets,” he said. “I just think that we’ve got to stay focused, stay urgent.”
“I just don't want to let these guys up for air.”
The task in front of the Yankees is a daunting one: win four in a row against a Dodgers team that’s thoroughly outplayed them so far this World Series. But as Yankees manager Aaron Boone pointed out after Monday’s Game 3 loss, the first step for the Yankees is winning once.
For that to happen, they’ll have to elevate their game offensively and be prepared to use their bullpen aggressively in support of starter Luis Gil. Otherwise, their season ends, sending Juan Soto, Clay Holmes, Gleyber Torres and Alex Verdugo to the free-agent market a few days sooner than expected.
“We've got to find a way,” Boone said.
Ahead of a must-win Game 4, it’s the Yankees’ underperforming lineup that’s facing the most pressure. New York’s lineup combined for just two runs on five hits Monday, and they’ve scored just seven total runs in the series so far.
Yet it’s Aaron Judge who rightfully faces the most pressure to perform after collecting just one single through 12 World Series at-bats compared to seven strikeouts. With a game-tying home run against Emmanuel Clase in the ALCS, Judge proved he’s capable of producing under pressure. It just hasn’t happened often enough and the uptick in strikeout rate and chase rate shows he’s now expanding his strike zone more than he should.
“He's Aaron Judge,” Boone said. “Just continue to work and hopefully get on time and connect.”
Further down the lineup, Boone pointed to quality Game 3 at-bats from Verdugo, who homered late to bring the Yankees within two runs, and Anthony Rizzo. Perhaps more importantly, the Dodgers churned through six relievers Monday, giving the Yankees some familiarity with some leverage arms ahead of what will be a bullpen game for the visitors as they attempt to clinch.
“Hopefully that helps us a little bit,” Boone said. “If nothing else, I think we extended their guys quite a bit. Most of their bullpen guys came in and threw a lot of pitches. Hopefully that little bit of familiarity serves us well going into (Game 4), but it's going to be a challenge with all their arms. We've got to get after it.”
Relievers Michael Kopech, Anthony Banda and Alex Vesia have now pitched in every game for the Dodgers, building familiarity for the Yankees. Blake Treinen threw a total of 55 pitches in Los Angeles but wasn't needed Monday, setting up a possible appearance in Game 4.
Ideally for the Yankees, that familiarity would pay off and slumping hitters like Judge, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Austin Wells would start producing. But even so, the Yankees must be prepared to go to their bullpen if Gil falters in Game 4. Seven different New York relievers pitched in Game 3, but none threw more than 17 pitches, giving Boone options in Game 4.
This isn’t a game the Yankees can fall out of early, so using someone like Clay Holmes sooner than usual should be on the table.
Best-case scenario for New York, the Yankees find a way to win Tuesday before handing the ball to Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon in Games 5 and 6. But winning once against the Dodgers is hard enough – especially the way they’re playing. Winning three times in a row, under building pressure when your team’s not hitting? That’s another kind of challenge altogether.
“(Our players are) very familiar with 20 years ago and what can happen,” Roberts said. “I mean, anything's possible. Our guys are very heady, very hungry for a championship, a parade. So nothing is going to get in the way of that – nothing.”
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