If you turned off the TV in the third inning, nobody would've blamed you. Honestly. The New York Yankees were up 5-0. Gerrit Cole was absolutely dealing, looking like the $324 million ace he was paid to be. The Bronx was shaking. It felt like a flight back to Los Angeles for Game 6 was a mathematical certainty. But baseball doesn't care about your flight plans or your momentum. What happened in Game 5 of the World Series wasn't just a comeback; it was a total, systemic meltdown that will be studied in coaching clinics—and therapy sessions—for decades.
Five runs. Five unearned runs in a single inning.
That is the stat that haunts Yankee Stadium. You don't see that in the Fall Classic. Ever. Usually, at this level, players make the routine plays. They catch the ball. They cover first base. But in the fifth inning of Game 5, the Yankees forgot the fundamentals of Little League, and the Los Angeles Dodgers, being the clinical machine they are, simply walked through the door that was left wide open. It’s rare to see a championship decided by who messed up more rather than who played better, but that’s the reality of how the 2024 season ended.
The Inning That Changed Everything
We have to talk about the fifth. There is no way around it. Tommy Edman hits a routine fly ball to center field. Aaron Judge, the likely AL MVP, the captain, the guy who defines this era of Yankees baseball, just... drops it. It clanks off his glove. The crowd went from a roar to a confused murmur. Then, a ground ball to shortstop. Anthony Volpe tries to get the lead runner at third, but the throw is low. Bases loaded.
Gerrit Cole, to his credit, almost escaped. He struck out Gavin Lux. He struck out Shohei Ohtani. He was one out away from the most legendary escape act in postseason history. Then Mookie Betts hit a slow roller to first base. Anthony Rizzo fielded it. Cole didn't cover the bag.
He just stood there.
Betts was safe. A run scored. Then Freddie Freeman, who was playing on one healthy ankle and a prayer, laced a two-run single. Teoscar Hernández doubled. Suddenly, it was 5-5. The energy in the Bronx didn't just dip; it evaporated. You could feel the collective realization that the season was slipping away because of self-inflicted wounds. It’s one thing to get beat by a better team; it’s another to beat yourself.
👉 See also: Meaning of Grand Slam: Why We Use It for Tennis, Baseball, and Breakfast
Why the Dodgers Are Built Different
While the Yankees were falling apart, the Dodgers were showing why they spent over a billion dollars in the offseason. It wasn't just about the star power. It was about the depth. When Jack Flaherty got chased early, Dave Roberts didn't panic. He went to the bullpen. And then he went to the bullpen again. And again.
The Dodgers used eight pitchers in Game 5 of the World Series. Eight.
Think about the pressure on those guys. Every single one of them had to be perfect because the margin for error was non-existent. Anthony Banda, Ryan Brazier, Michael Kopech—these aren't the names on the marquee, but they are the reason the Dodgers stayed in striking distance. They bridged the gap until Blake Treinen could come in and throw 42 high-stress pitches, and eventually, until Walker Buehler—starter turned closer for a night—could shut the door.
The Freddie Freeman Factor
We can't overlook what Freddie Freeman did. He won the World Series MVP for a reason. Entering the series, he was hobbled. He hadn't hit a home run in weeks. Then he goes out and homers in the first four games. In Game 5, he didn't hit it out of the park, but his two-run single during that chaotic fifth inning was the emotional dagger.
People talk about "clutch" like it’s some mystical quality. With Freeman, it’s just preparation meeting a complete lack of fear. He stayed within himself when the stadium was at its loudest. He didn't try to do too much. He just moved the line. That’s the difference between a great player and a Hall of Famer.
The Tactical Blunders and the "What Ifs"
Managers always get second-guessed, but Aaron Boone is going to hear about this one all winter. The decision to pull certain relievers or leave others in is always a gamble. But the real issue wasn't the pitching changes. It was the defensive alignment and the lack of urgency on the fundamentals.
✨ Don't miss: NFL Week 5 2025 Point Spreads: What Most People Get Wrong
- Communication: Why was there a disconnect between Cole and Rizzo on the Betts grounder?
- Baserunning: The Yankees had chances later to reclaim the lead, but they couldn't capitalize on small-ball opportunities.
- The Bullpen Usage: The Dodgers' "bullpen game" approach proved that modern baseball is moving away from the "hero starter" toward a decentralized, match-up-based strategy.
The Dodgers’ front office, led by Andrew Friedman, has been criticized for "over-engineering" the game. They use data for everything. They shift. They pull starters early. People say it's boring. Well, it's not boring when you're holding a trophy. They were prepared for every scenario, while the Yankees looked like they were playing on instinct—and that instinct failed them at the worst possible moment.
The Shohei Ohtani Presence
Even though Ohtani wasn't the primary driver in Game 5 of the World Series—he was clearly struggling with that partially dislocated shoulder—his mere presence changed the math. Pitchers have to approach the lineup differently when he's there. You can't pitch around Betts or Freeman as easily because you know the Japanese phenom is lurking, even at 60% health.
His first season in LA ends with a ring. That was the goal. That was why he signed that massive deferred contract. He wanted the biggest stage, and even if he wasn't the one hitting the walk-offs in the finale, his gravity pulled the Dodgers toward this championship.
What This Means for the Future of the Rivalry
This wasn't just another game. It was a clash of cultures. The Dodgers represent the pinnacle of modern, data-driven roster construction. The Yankees represent the traditional powerhouse trying to find its way in a new era.
The gap between them in Game 5 wasn't talent. The Yankees have plenty of talent. The gap was execution.
Los Angeles has now solidified themselves as a dynasty, whether people want to admit it or not. They've been to the postseason 12 years in a row. They've won two titles in five years. They are the standard. The Yankees, meanwhile, have to figure out how to bridge that gap. They have to decide if they can win with the current core or if the defensive lapses in Game 5 are symptomatic of a deeper culture problem.
🔗 Read more: Bethany Hamilton and the Shark: What Really Happened That Morning
Actionable Takeaways for Baseball Fans and Analysts
If you're looking to understand the deeper implications of this game, keep these points in mind for the next season:
- Fundamental Defense is Undervalued: In an era of exit velocity and launch angles, Game 5 proved that catching the ball still wins championships. Teams will likely place a higher premium on "defensive replacements" in the 2025 offseason.
- The Bullpen Revolution is Final: Relying on a traditional "save" closer is dying. The Dodgers used their best arms in the highest-leverage moments, regardless of the inning. Expect more teams to adopt this "fireman" approach.
- Mental Resilience vs. Momentum: The Yankees had all the momentum. They were at home. They were up 5-0. They lost because they couldn't stop the bleeding once it started. Building a roster that can handle "the big mistake" is just as important as building one that can hit home runs.
The 2024 World Series didn't end with a bang; it ended with a slow-motion collapse that reminds us why we watch sports. It's unpredictable. It's cruel. And for the Dodgers, it was the perfect validation of a decade of excellence.
For everyone else, it’s a lesson: you can’t win the World Series in the first inning, but you can certainly lose it in the fifth.
Next Steps for the Offseason:
Review the final box score and look specifically at "unearned runs." This is the best way to see how defensive efficiency—or the lack thereof—directly correlates to win probability. Also, keep an eye on the free-agent market for high-leverage relief pitchers. The success of the Dodgers' "bullpen game" in Game 5 will almost certainly drive up the price for versatile arms who can pitch multiple innings in high-pressure situations.