The 2024 World Series begins on Friday in Los Angeles and even though the New York Yankees are on the road, they should feel right at home when they step up to the plate. Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo have raked at Dodger Stadium throughout their careers.
1. Giancarlo Stanton
Stanton was the Yankees MVP in the ALCS and if his career numbers at Dodger Stadium are any indicator, he could hoist the World Series MVP trophy next. In 102 plate appearances at Dodger Stadium, Stanton has slashed .309/.363/.723 with 10 homers, nine doubles, and 26 RBIs.
The 34-year-old seems fully focused on getting his first championship ring, so he should be ready to hit anywhere. But his historical output at Dodger Stadium could give fans a little extra confidence when he steps up to the plate.
2. Aaron Judge
Like Stanton, Judge has enjoyed great success at Dodger Stadium. Even though he’s only played five games in the Dodgers’ digs, Judge has four long balls there. Judge is hitting just .161/.317/.387 this postseason, but a trip to sunny Southern California might be just what he needs to get back to his MVP-level play.
3. Juan Soto
Unsurprisingly, Soto has also hit well in L.A. In 20 games there, he’s slashed .286/.390/.557 with five dingers and 12 RBI. He may even transcend his already stellar performance there as the next four-to-seven contests mark his final pitch to MLB general managers as he heads into free agency.
Soto doesn’t have anything else to prove after he helped Stanton lead the Yankees to the World Series. But a blazing finish to the season could be all he needs to convince a team to give him the highest-paying contract in all of baseball.
4. Alex Verdugo
Once a Dodger, Verdugo could be sparked by a return to his old stomping grounds, where he hit .299/.339/.463. He tagged six round-trippers and 15 doubles in 221 plate appearances at Dodger Stadium.
If Verdugo gets anywhere near that slash line while he’s in L.A. this time around, he’ll make Yankees fans forget all about his .194/.286/.258 line to this point in the 2024 playoffs.
The Yankees likely won’t win this series if they don’t score an abundance of runs. Los Angeles is loaded with offensive firepower from Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts to Teoscar Hernandez and Freddie Freeman.
If Stanton, Judge, Soto, and Verdugo can hit like they’ve been known to at Dodger Stadium, they might at least neutralize the Dodgers’ four biggest bats. Doing so cou
