Jack Flaherty will start Game 1 of the World Series for the Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers will field Jack Flaherty for Game 1 of the World Series, pitting him against New York Yankees star and fellow Southern California native Gerrit Cole on Friday night at Dodger Stadium.

Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, who spent the entire month playing because of a right ankle sprain, said he expects to be in the lineup.

“I don’t think there’s any doubt in anyone’s mind that I won’t be in the lineup for Game 1,” Freeman said in a video conference with reporters on Tuesday.

Freeman suffered palpable pain as the National League Championship Series moved to New York for Games 3, 4 and 5, recording just one hit in his final 15 postseason at-bats.

When the Dodgers returned home on Saturday, Freeman knew deep down that he would sit out the team's ultimately decisive win over the New York Mets in Game 6. And when the World Series begins, Freeman will have essentially had six days to rest his ankle.

“It’s very valuable,” Freeman said. “Any day that I can get up without running and treat this is huge.”

The Dodgers will follow Flaherty with Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Saturday's second game, allowing both pitchers to make two starts if the series extends. Flaherty would play again in Game 5 at Yankee Stadium if he can make the standard four-day break. Yamamoto, who has been on an additional rest schedule to better adapt to what he is used to in Japan, would suit up for Game 6.

Walker Buehler, the third member of the Dodgers' three-man rotation, will start either Game 3 or 4 from Yankee Stadium. One bullpen game will be another, and the Dodgers are still hoping for two valuable reinforcements.

Left-hander Alex Vesia, who is dealing with an intercostal injury that kept him from the NLCS roster, and right-hander Brusdar Graterol, recovering from shoulder inflammation in October, are both “trending in the right direction,” Dodgers managers said Dave Roberts. Vesia was expected to face hitters and Graterol was scheduled to work a bullpen session at Dodger Stadium before official World Series practice on Thursday, although her addition to the roster could not come until the final hours.

The Dodgers are still unsure about the status of veteran shortstop Miguel Rojas, who was left off the NLCS roster after a setback with his torn adductor muscle. But Roberts said second baseman Gavin Lux, who recently felt tightness in his hip flexor, is “full on.”