Dodgers possible starters rotations: Who will be the starting pitcher in game 1 of the World Series?

The Los Angeles Dodgers’ starting pitcher for Game 1 of the 2024 World Series against the New York Yankees at Dodger Stadium will be Jack Flaherty, not Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The right-handed pitcher was acquired from the Detroit Tigers in the summer, just before the MLB trade deadline, and finished the season with a 6-2 record.

Jack Flaherty's playoff numbers

Flaherty posted a 3.58 ERA and struck out 61 batters over 55.1 innings during the regular season in 10 starts for the Dodgers. In the postseason, however, he has allowed 12 earned runs and 15 hits in 15.1 innings, striking out eight. Flaherty had been the second starter in the Dodgers’ playoff rotation, behind Yamamoto, so the decision to have him start Game 1 of the World Series came as a surprise to many.

Flaherty will face Yankees ace Gerrit Cole on Friday, October 25, in Game 1 of the World Series in Los Angeles, California. His postseason performance has been inconsistent, highlighted by his Game 2 start in the National League Division Series against the Padres, where he allowed four earned runs and struck out just two batters in a 10-2 loss.

When will Yamamoto play in World Series?

However, Flaherty bounced back in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets, where he pitched seven scoreless innings. In his second postseason start, he struck out six batters, and the Dodgers secured a dominant 9-0 victory. That stellar performance convinced Dodgers manager Dave Roberts to give him the opportunity to start in the most important series of the season, the World Series.

With Dave Roberts’ decision, Yamamoto will start Game 2 of the World Series, while Walker Buehler is slated to pitch either Game 3 or Game 4. The Dodgers’ manager plans to use the bullpen for one of the games, depending on how the series unfolds before Buehler’s scheduled start.