Dodgers Will End World Series Tonight With Sweep

Dodgers vs. Yankees, 8:08 ET

I should probably just stop, right? I mean three straight times now I've picked the Yankees to win a game this series and three straight losses. Losing three games isn't the end of the world, but as I've mentioned about the early season starts where teams (like the Astros this year) get off to a bad start, it becomes magnified because of the small sample. Well, it certainly is magnified here that I can't predict a World Series game to save my bankroll. I'm not chasing, because other sports are balancing out the losses, but man, I need to get at least one win before the series is over. Let's go back to the drawing board with this game between the Dodgers and Yankees. 

You might as well start engraving his name on the World Series MVP trophy now. Freddie Freeman has this locked up as long as the Dodgers close out the series which is almost certain as well. Los Angeles now has four games to win one more. They have looked like the better team for pretty much every inning of the series. Sure, at moments they were behind, but they never seemed to lose focus and they've been able to capture victories even in the face of defeat. They have beaten the Yankees 4-2 in back-to-back games, and haven't trailed in the past 18 innings. They've also scored first in all three of the games, which gives you momentum, but also loosens up your pitching and tightens up their opponent. The fact that the Dodgers can do this in a series when they don't even have all of their best pitchers is scary for the rest of the league. They are looking at some sort of bullpen game tonight, and their bullpen has been fantastic this postseason. There are a few matchups that I'm sure they will look to avoid, but the Dodgers have to feel confident that they could win tonight and then still have multiple options for starters in the next three games should they be needed.

CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 17:  Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees looks on prior to Game 3 of the ALCS presented by loanDepot between the New York Yankees and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Thursday, October 17, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

The Yankees have to win at least one game here, right? Is there a bit of pride in winning one game instead of being swept? Probably. Keep in mind if any franchise should believe that coming back from a three-game deficit when no one else has done it is possible, it is the Yankees. They certainly need a better start to tonight's game than they had yesterday. Their starter, Clark Schmidt, tossed 2.2 innings and opened the game with a walk. It isn't just that it was a walk, but he walked Ohtani on four pitches. Schmidt might not have been prepared well enough or mentally ready for the moment. He calmed down to get Betts out in the next at-bat, but then Freeman took him over the fence for the third straight game. Any energy or momentum was instantly taken away from the Yankees. Looking to get them off to a better start is Luis Gil. Their right-hander put together a very nice season with a 15-7 record, 3.50 ERA, and a 1.19 WHIP. He has only pitched once in the playoffs, and allowed two earned runs in four innings. He hasn't pitched in 11 days so expectations might need to be a bit low here. He faced the Dodgers once this season, going 5.2 innings and allowing 3 earned runs in a 6-4 Yankees win. 

Believe it or not, I'm not even a Yankees fan - and after picking them in three straight games, I am losing more respect for them by the day. The Dodgers have been the best team in baseball this season and are showing why here. I think it is probably in your best interest to fade me, but the Yankees have nothing going for them outside of them needing to win a game. I'll back the Dodgers at plus money to hoist the trophy tonight. 

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