If the New York Yankees had executed clean defense during the World Series, they might have traveled to Los Angeles with a 3-2 series lead. However, they lost Games 1 and 5 primarily due to subpar fielding, allowing the Los Angeles Dodgers to claim the championship, winning the Fall Classic in the Bronx. Following their victory, many Dodgers players were quick to highlight how they capitalized on the Yankees’ errors, as well as the so-called “Fat Joe curse.”
Reports indicated that the Dodgers analyzed the Yankees’ defensive and baserunning weaknesses, contributing to their 4-1 series triumph. With spring training approaching and pitchers and catchers reporting soon, Yankees manager Aaron Boone addressed these comments. He acknowledged that his players took the remarks to heart but also recognized the Dodgers’ right to speak as champions.
“I did not like it… I’m not going to pretend I liked it, and hopefully, we’ll be in a position to be where they were. They’re the champions, and the reality is they can say whatever they want. Hopefully, we’ll be in that position this time next year, and we’ll handle it with a bit more class,” Boone shared during an interview. He further noted that the Yankees “didn’t play our best in that series, and they won.”
Compounding their challenges, the Yankees lost Juan Soto to their crosstown rivals, the Mets, in free agency, although his defensive skills are not top-tier. Nevertheless, the Yankees made strategic moves by signing Cy Young Award candidate Max Fried and 2022 NL MVP Paul Goldschmidt, while also trading for dominant closer Devin Williams and Cody Bellinger, the 2019 NL MVP.
