The Los Angeles Dodgers were brimming with confidence after securing the 2024 World Series title against the New York Yankees in just five games.
Given their past postseason struggles, this victory was a breakthrough moment. However, their celebratory remarks took a sharp turn, as they openly downplayed the Yankees, implying a significant disparity in talent between the two teams.
Former Yankees utility player Jon Berti wasn’t pleased with the Dodgers’ comments. He felt they unfairly diminished New York’s efforts, making it seem like the Yankees didn’t deserve their spot in the championship.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever heard a World Series-winning team talk as badly as they did about the World Series-losing team,” Berti stated on the Foul Territory podcast. “It felt like we were being disrespected to the point of we didn’t even belong in the World Series.”
While the Yankees made some costly mistakes that tilted the series in the Dodgers’ favor, Berti emphasized that their path to the World Series was well-earned. The decision to have Nestor Cortes face Freddie Freeman proved disastrous, and crucial lapses in Game 5 sealed their fate. Still, New York had a successful season, finishing with 94 wins and claiming the AL East crown.
“We won a lot of games last year. We won our division. We went and took care of Kansas City and took care of Cleveland. So we deserved to be there, unfortunately we didn’t perform at our best,” Berti added.
Looking ahead, the Yankees face new challenges, most notably the departure of Juan Soto to the New York Mets. Losing such a key offensive force leaves a significant gap in their lineup, and it’s uncertain whether their offseason moves will be enough to offset his absence.
Despite this, the Yankees remain a formidable team, led by Aaron Judge and backed by a strong pitching staff. Competing in the AL East won’t be easy, especially with the Baltimore Orioles maintaining their competitive edge, but New York is still expected to be a top contender.
