Yankees must move on after brutal World Series loss: ‘This is what defines character.’ In the wake of a heartbreaking defeat, Juan Soto exited the Yankees clubhouse with a scowl, while Aaron Boone’s furrowed brow betrayed his irritation. Even Aaron Judge, known for his trademark smile, found it difficult to muster any cheerfulness. The atmosphere was thick with disappointment, punctuated only by the sound of clubhouse attendants cleaning dirt off cleats.
This one stung.
The Yankees expressed optimism about bouncing back on Saturday, but their downcast expressions told a different tale after a 6-3 loss to the Dodgers in the 10th inning of Game 1 of the World Series. The stage was set for a Yankees victory until Freddie Freeman made history by hitting the first walk-off grand slam in World Series history off Nestor Cortes.
Despite a few defensive errors and a surprising early exit for Gerrit Cole, the Yankees were on the verge of victory. Cortes delivered a 92 mph fastball, low and inside, just where Freeman excels, leading to a powerful hit that soared into the right-field pavilion at Dodger Stadium. The Yankees had barely celebrated a remarkable catch by Alex Verdugo before the situation turned dire as Mookie Betts was intentionally walked to load the bases.
“Maybe just two or three inches higher,” Cortes reflected when asked about his pitch to Freeman. “I thought I placed it where I wanted, but it wasn’t high enough.”
In the days leading up to the game, Cortes fought for his place on the World Series roster after missing crucial games due to an elbow flexor strain. The Yankees needed his left-handed pitching, and Boone trusted him against the Dodgers’ top left-handed hitters.
“He’s been throwing the ball well as he prepared for this moment,” Boone noted. “With one out, it would be tough to double up Shohei if Tim Hill got him on the ground. Mookie is a challenging matchup, so I felt confident with Nestor in that spot.”
Soto’s misplay in the fifth inning, where he overran a Kiké Hernández liner, turned a potential double into a triple, allowing the Dodgers to score the first run. In the eighth, Shohei Ohtani’s blistering double was mishandled by Soto, leading to another run for the Dodgers. These mistakes became costly in a game where every play mattered.
Errors like these cannot occur at this critical stage of the season.
Yet, the Yankees’ opportunities that could have turned Game 1 in their favor now lie buried beneath the jubilant Dodgers at home plate.
“We had our chances,” Judge admitted, reflecting on his own struggles at the plate. “The game was back and forth. We had opportunities to finish them off, but we couldn’t capitalize. They came through with a big hit at the end.”
