by Caroline Ferchland

This postseason highlighted all the highs and lows that make baseball so special. The World Series lived up to expectations in a clash between two powerhouse teams, the Yankees and the Dodgers. The dramatic Game 1 walk-off victory by the Dodgers set the tone for the rest of the series.

Game 1 of this series, and arguably the most important game of the series, was played in LA and both starting pitchers got off to great starts. The Yankees ace, Gerrit Cole, lasted six innings, and then was taken out after throwing only 88 pitches. The Dodgers star, Jack Flaherty, was in the game for 5.1 innings and only surrendered 2 runs. Although both of these teams were known for their superstar hitting, they found themselves in extra innings with the score tied at 2-2. Manager Aaron Boone brought in Nestor Cortes to pitch even though he hadn’t pitched in a game in months. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th, Freddie Freeman, with one big swing, not only won the Dodgers the game, but also changed the entire trajectory of the series. After that devastating game 1 loss, the Yankees found themselves behind 0-2 coming back to New York after also losing Game 2.

Cold air and excitement was traveling throughout the Yankee crowd before the first pitch of Game 3. However, this feeling didn’t last long as Freddie Freeman hit a 2-run bomb into the right field porch in the top of the 1st inning. Murmurs and disbelief were now radiating off of the fans. With this tough start to game 3, the Yankees were never able to come back and found themselves in the biggest hole possible, down 0-3 in the series.

In a must win game 4 for the Yanks, they put trust in young Luis Gil to save them from getting swept. Not only did Gil come through, but the Yankee offense came alive – a grand slam from Anthony Volpe set the tone for Game 4 and the Yanks put up 11 runs in a Game 4 rout. With the spark from game 4 still lingering in the stadium, the Yankees and their ace, Gerrit Cole, geared up for another “win or go home” game. Starting off just as they planned, the Yankees took an early lead with help from their Captain, Aaron Judge, who broke through his personal struggles and hit a monster home run. What the Yankees weren’t expecting was a disastrous 5th inning, – dropped balls, misthrows, and mental errors all helped the Dodgers inch closer and tie the game. With the pressure of a tied game, the Bombers offense seemed to stall, and the Yankees ultimately fell to the Dodgers in game 5, making the Dodgers the 2024 World Series Champions. 

The 2024 postseason was a roller coaster ride and highlighted the unpredictable nature of baseball in October. This postseason was surely one to remember. In the end, the Dodgers’ toughness and unstoppable offense led them to the title, while the Yankees were left to think about a postseason full of what-ifs.