The Los Angeles Dodgers officially named Jack Flaherty their starter for Game 1 of the 2024 World Series against the New York Yankees. Yoshinobu Yamamoto is set to start Game 2, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shared.
With five days off between the National League Championship Series and World Series, the Dodgers had the ability to line up their rotation the way they wanted to. Giving the ball to Flaherty aligns things more favorably moving forward.
“Jack’s been really good for us, that last start withstanding,” Roberts said of the decision to give him the Game 1 nod. “Yamamoto will start Game 2. I think if you’re looking at kind of both those pitchers and what the potential World Series could look like, just giving both those guys the best opportunity to participate, to pitch, and put them in the best spots possible, as far as days of rest and things like that.”
With Flaherty taking the mound in Game 1, that also allows him to return for Game 5 on regular rest in New York. The rotation beyond Flaherty and Yamamoto has not been officially set, but with their decisions thus far, it’s safe to assume how the rest will look.
In the NLCS, the Dodgers preferred to have Buehler start on the road given his experience in that situation and mentality as a big game pitcher who will not be overwhelmed by the moment. He would now be scheduled to pitch in Game 3 and a potential Game 7.
However, Roberts also noted the Dodgers could use a bullpen day in Game 3 and push Buehler back to Game 4, depending on how things are shaping out.
Yamamoto, the ace of the staff, would be assumed as the Game 1 starter under normal circumstances, but due to his rest schedule, getting him set in Game 2 also allows him to pitch Game 6 on his normal rest. If he was to start Game 1, he would still not return until Game 6, and the Dodgers would need another bullpen game between.
Game 4 would likely be a bullpen game, but other than that, the Dodgers are set up to have Yamamoto, Flaherty and Buehler start six of the potential seven games.
Flaherty has made three starts in the postseason with mixed results thus far. He allowed four runs in 5.1 innings against the San Diego Padres in Game 2 of the National League Division Series before taking the mound for Game 1 of the NLCS.
In his first start against the Mets, Flaherty was pitched seven shutout innings, giving up just two hits while striking out six and walking two. But when Flaherty took the ball for Game 5, while battling an illness, he allowed eight runs over just three innings with no strikeouts and four walks.
“I think that it’s been good,” Roberts said. “The experience, the way to kind of navigate an outing, he’s seen it all. And even looking at his last start in New York, I think that — self-admitted — certain parts of that game sped up on him, and I think that’s a lesson to be learned.
“And so I think that with Jack, the experience, that’s another moment for him that I think that can kind of help him in this series right now. So I think that we got through it. We weathered it, no pun intended. I think he’s healthy now, and he’ll spit out a good one on Friday.
Overall in the 2024 postseason, he’s posted a 7.04 ERA in 15.1 innings, and he owns a career 4.91 ERA in 40.1 playoff innings. During the regular season, Flaherty pitched to a 3.17 ERA in 162 innings with 194 strikeouts.
Jack Flaherty facing off against Gerrit Cole
Gerrit Cole is starting Game 1 of the World Series for the Yankees, manager Aaron Boone previously announced.
In their previous series, the Yankees followed Cole with Carlos Rodón, Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil, which could end up being the same order they go with for the World Series.
“We haven’t finalized that,” Boone said. “I can tell you Gerrit will pitch Game 1, and a good chance we’ll roll it out like that. Today’s a voluntary day and we’re just starting to formulate our plans and things like that, so we’ll see.”
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