MLB Rumors: Dodgers thought Yankees had ‘talent over fundamentals’ in World Series | News, results, highlights, statistics and rumors

The New York Yankees’ defensive missteps in Game 5 of the World Series were no surprise to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Per Joel Sherman belonging New York PostDodgers coaches and scouts told their players in pre-Series meetings that the Yankees were “more talented on the field than their fundamentals” and had a tendency to hurt themselves with mistakes.

This isn’t so much a slight on the Yankees as it is simply a flaw in roster construction. They tied with the Houston Astros. last in MLB in extra base percentage taken, ranked in bottom half of league in defensive runs saved first base And second baseAnd 15th place collectively in the far zone.

Even though their third basemen rating Well, overall on defensive saves, they moved Jazz Chisholm Jr. to that position in July after he was acquired from the Miami Marlins. He had never played the hot corner before in his MLB career.

The Yankees also made blunders throughout the postseason. They ran out of options in the ALCS against the Cleveland Guardians to the point that radio announcer John Sterling said on the air they “run the bases like drunks.”

They were able to get away with those mistakes against a team like Cleveland that didn’t have the strength on the roster to consistently take advantage of them.

The Dodgers have arguably the best lineup in the league and are more than capable of capitalizing when they get extra outs. The Yankees gave them six outs in the fifth inning of Game 5, committing two errors and giving up an infield hit to Mookie Betts when Gerrit Cole missed first base.