4 Yankees to blame for giving away Game 1 of the World Series

The 2024 World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees started with a bang. Not only did we get an instant classic, but we got an extra inning of it!

With the Yankees on the verge of pulling off the Game 1 road victory in Los Angeles, Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman had other plans. He pulverized a walk-off 423-foot grand slam in the bottom of the tenth, helping his club draw first blood.

Freeman being the hero of the evening for the Dodgers was the most fitting storyline possible. Given the recent speculation over his spot on the team's Fall Classic roster, it's poetic he's the one who propelled them to victory.

Of course, Freeman deserves all the props in the world for crushing the game-winning homer. But kudos to Roberts for sticking with the veteran slugger through his recent struggles. And if Game 1 was any indication, we're in for an exciting showdown between two of the most storied franchises in MLB history.

Conversely, the Yankees are on the losing side of things, which is extremely deflating. They were one out from taking a 1-0 series lead at Dodger Stadium. Instead, they suffered a gut-wrenching defeat, with these four clubhouse members at the forefront of the disappointing result.

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4. Juan Soto

Juan Soto showed us that he could rise to the occasion on baseball's biggest stage with the Washington Nationals in 2019. However, his first World Series game as a Yankee didn't go as well, particularly from a defensive standpoint.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Dodgers utility man Kiké Hernández had a hard-hit ball to right field, which Soto failed to corral:

While it wasn't an error, the play resulted in a triple, putting a runner in scoring position with one out. In the ensuing at-bat, Los Angeles catcher Will Smith drove his teammate in with a sacrifice fly. As a Gold Glove finalist, Soto must to position himself better in those situations.

Soto was good but not great from the plate. He went 1-for-3 with a hit, run and two walks. Alas, the Yankees needed more from him, especially because of the next person on this list's lack of offensive production.

3. Aaron Judge

The Aaron Judge-led Yankees finally broke through in Year 9 of his remarkable career, reaching the World Series for the first time. Nonetheless, considering his postseason woes, New York's gotten this far largely despite the presumed American League MVP favorite. Unfortunately for the Bronx Bombers, it was more of the same from their superstar outfielder in Game 1.

Judge was abysmal in the batter's box. He went 1-for-5, striking out thrice. His inability to see the ball was evident, which legendary retired ex-Yankee Álex Rodríguez discussed on the postgame FOX Sports broadcast:

Rodríguez, one of the best hitters the league has ever seen, believes Judge is "chasing the ball." Rather than letting pitches come to him, the latter is trying to force the issue. Perhaps the magnitude of the moment is prompting this change of approach. Regardless, the time to adjust is now.

2. Nestor Cortes

Entering with an opportunity to save the game, Nestor Cortes did quite the opposite.

Freeman's grand salami came off Cortes. The lefty twirler allowed the same amount of earned runs as he did pitches thrown (two). But be that as it may, it's hard to fault him entirely.

Cortes missed New York's first two playoff series due to a flexor tendon strain. Before Game 1, the last time he pitched was Sept. 18. Ostensibly, the one-time All-Star has rust to shake off, demonstrated by the brief albeit rough outing versus the Dodgers.

Furthermore, Cortes typically operates as a starter, not a reliever. So, he was taken outside his comfort zone while coming off an extended hiatus. Frankly, the judgment to insert him into the contest is more jarring, which falls on the next individual mentioned.

1. Aaron Boone

Yankees manager Aaron Boone made two glaringly questionable, back-breaking decisions at the end of Game 1 that cost New York tremendously. Notably, both came in the final frame of the match, highlighting how ill-timed the oversights were.

With the ballgame on the line and Mookie Betts at the plate in the bottom of the tenth, Boone elected to walk the Dodgers standout. The choice to do so loaded the bases, leading to Freeman's game-ending blast.

Boone either must've not read the scouting report on Freeman entering the contest or ignored it entirely. Over the past two years, the left-handed hitter has fared incredibly well against southpaw hurlers like Cortes with the bags juiced:

Moreover, Boone throwing Cortes into the fire was the more noteworthy problem. The 29-year-old pitcher is primarily a starter with minimal bullpen experience and hadn't taken the mound in over a month before this appearance. Yet, the Yankees skipper perplexingly trusted him to get the job done.

After both of Boone's puzzling choices unsurprisingly backfired, he deserves to shoulder most of the blame for New York's tough loss.