Game 3 is tonight. The Yankees are staring down a 2-0 deficit. Last year, Texas and Arizona split the first two in Arlington before the Rangers went to Phoenix and took three out of three from the Diamondbacks. Why is that relevant? It isn’t. It’s just a nice reminder the Rangers were 2023 World Series champs.

The two sure-to-be-MVPs are a bit beat up. Shoehei Ohtani injured his shoulder on a slide in Game 2. The Dodgers say he will be in the lineup for Game 3. Aaron Judge isn’t injured. He’s just beat up offensively. He’s 1-for-9 with six strikeouts and no RBIs. Ohtani is also 1-for-9 in both games, also without a home run or RBI.

As the Series shifts to Yankee Stadium, Judge is going to have to start hitting. That Murderers Row of Soto, Judge, and Stanton isn’t quite as lethal when there’s a hole in the middle.

If the Yankees want to get back in it, Judge is going to have to fill that hole. Tonight. They cannot afford to go down 0-3.

If nothing else, the longer the Series goes, the longer the baseball season goes, and the shorter the offseason is. And that’s always a good thing.

*****  
TODAY’S GAMES: 

7:08, Los Angeles 2 @ New York 0, FOX