Juan Soto owns defensive shortcomings in World Series Game 1, as sloppy play stifles Yankees

In a tension-filled first game of the 2024 World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers secured a memorable win against the New York Yankees at Dodgers Stadium. The night became iconic with Freddie Freeman's decisive walk-off grand slam echoing historical moments in baseball lore.

In the sixth inning, Dodgers outfielder Kiké Hernández hit a triple due to a mishap by Yankees’ Juan Soto, who couldn't catch a curving right-field ball. This error allowed Will Smith to bring Hernández home with a sacrifice fly, putting the Dodgers ahead 1-0.

Juan Soto, known for his offensive prowess but occasionally shaky defense, ran a direct route toward the ball that tailed away, failing to secure it. His defensive metrics this season include being 38th out of 44 right fielders with minus-5 outs above average.

The Yankees felt the effects of defensive errors again when Shohei Ohtani hit a double. Soto fumbled the ball, resulting in Ohtani advancing to third and eventually scoring via a Mookie Betts sacrifice fly. The sloppy defense kept Dodgers ahead with both runs stemming from Yankees' missteps.

The game remained tied at the end of regular innings. Yankees' manager made a controversial decision replacing Gleyber Torres with Jasson Domínguez as a pinch-runner in the ninth inning. Torres, despite his shortcomings, may have been more effective defensively as Oswaldo Cabrera struggled to prevent Tommy Edman’s ball to outfield in extra innings.

The final blow to the Yankees came when Freeman hit a grand slam off Nestor Cortes, sealing the Dodgers’ victory. The Yankees’ defensive struggles have been a recurring theme throughout the season and significantly influenced the outcome of Game 1.