World Series 2024: Assessing the Yankees and Dodgers pitching – 2 rotations, 2 strategies, 1 goal

LOS ANGELES – Almost every postseason, a team's success or failure depends on the performance of its starting pitching. And while this postseason is no different, the World Series matchup between the Dodgers and Yankees represents a stark contrast between two teams with very different rotation strategies and circumstances.

One of the nuances of the postseason when it comes to starting pitching is what a team needs and what a team has. In the three-game Wild Card round or five-game Division Series, teams do not need a full four-man rotation and can make do with three starters. Sometimes, as we saw with the Tigers this postseason, even two can be enough.

However, as teams advance to the seven-game Championship Series and World Series, having a third and fourth starter who can take the ball becomes a huge advantage – especially the longer a series lasts. Starting pitchers on short rest seems great when it works, but when it doesn't work it makes you wonder what could have been if a team had had another arm available to eat innings and get regular rest make possible.

If the Yankees have a clear advantage in this matchup, it lies in their starting rotation. New York enters Game 1 on Friday with a traditional starting pitching model. Longtime standout Gerrit Cole leads the team's lineup not only with a winning record in Game 1, but also with a winning record in the postseason and the World Series -Stage. The fact that Cole is at the top of the rotation takes a lot of pressure off the rest of the Yankees.

Behind Cole, the Yankees will hand the ball to southpaw Carlos Rodón, who, if he's right, can be as dominant as it gets. That means the most important and biggest question for the Yankees will likely be their starters in Games 3 and 4, presumably Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil.

While Schmidt fared well in his two starts for New York (3.86 ERA in 9⅓ IP), Gil was erratic in his first start in nearly a month in the ALCS, giving up two earned runs in just four innings. But as he showed throughout the season in mastering his pitches, there may not be a more electric pitcher in baseball.

Unlike their opponents from the Bronx, the Dodgers had to figure out a strategy throughout October. Due to injuries to starters Clayton Kershaw, Tyler Glasnow, Gavin Stone, Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May, River Ryan and Emmet Sheehan during the regular season, they had to make do in unconventional ways.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Jack Flaherty and Walker Buehler have played for LA this postseason and will each get the ball for the Dodgers at least once in the World Series. All three had brilliant moments this October and all three had moments they would like to forget. The Dodgers' starters each have an ERA over 5.00 this postseason.

The team's bullpen – a key reason the Dodgers are in this World Series – has behaved like the fourth seed in the playoffs. For the Dodgers, October “bullpen games” have become a staple of their approach. And while the strategy wasn't foolproof, it was relatively successful. In three “starts” this postseason, the bullpen is 2-1 with a 4.00 ERA. The Dodgers' offense has also slowed down a bit in these contests, scoring an average of seven runs in bullpen games.

Manager Dave Roberts confirmed Tuesday that the Dodgers will play a bullpen game in either Game 3 or Game 4 in New York.

The Dodgers and Yankees are evenly matched in so many areas that it's no exaggeration to say that this series will likely come down to which rotation has better pitch. And while the leash for starting pitching in October is already tight, expect both Roberts and Yankees captain Aaron Boone to have particularly quick triggers should their starters get into trouble.

But of the two teams, it's the Dodgers who need to pay more attention to their rotation in this series. Only Flaherty has gotten past the fifth inning multiple times this month, and Yamamoto hasn't thrown more than 79 pitches in a start since returning from the injured list in September.

If the Dodgers have to reach into their bullpen early in Games 1, 2 or 3, it will be that much harder to navigate the Yankees' lineup in a bullpen game in Game 3 or 4 with no days off in between.

Both teams have offenses that are challenging for starters, and with both lineups coming in at the perfect time, don't expect that to change in the Classic case. All eyes will be on which rotation can better handle the offensive fire on baseball's biggest stage.