The New York Yankees, in a surprising turn of events, lost the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers last October. While the series didn’t end in blowouts—the Yankees lost by just one total run—the team endured some gut-wrenching defeats that still sting. In Game 1, they were one out away from winning, only to watch the game slip away, with Nestor Cortes Jr. visibly shaken on the mound. In Game 5, the clinching game, the Yankees blew a 5-0 lead when Gerrit Cole failed to cover first base, allowing the momentum to completely unravel. It was an agonizing way to lose.
Despite the close nature of the series, the Dodgers came out on top, which felt fitting given the overall competitiveness of the National League throughout the year. However, many felt that the Dodgers’ post-victory celebration and media tour seemed a bit over the top, especially considering the razor-thin margin and two heartbreaking losses in the World Series. It felt somewhat excessive for a team that had been historically disappointing in the playoffs in recent seasons, having faltered spectacularly in both 2023 and 2022.
Jon Berti, a former Yankees backup infielder who missed the World Series due to injury, expressed this sentiment during an appearance on Foul Territory this week. He watched the Yankees’ painful loss from the sidelines and felt the Dodgers’ celebration and trash talk afterward were a bit much. While many Dodgers fans may brush this off, dismissing Berti’s opinion, his comments reflect the frustration some felt watching a team that had failed to deliver in previous years now boast so loudly after a narrow victory.
Jon Berti,Of course, Dodgers fans will argue that they won, and rightfully so, but the question remains: just because you can boast, does it mean you should? The Yankees hadn’t lost a World Series in 21 years, and back then, the winning team didn’t make disparaging remarks about baserunning errors or botched plays. There was a certain class to their victories that seems to be missing now. The Dodgers, while entitled to their celebration, might have gone a little too far in their post-victory remarks, especially considering some of the players who spoke up, like Joe Kelly and Chris Taylor, didn’t even participate in the series.
At the end of the day, the Dodgers earned their win, and the Yankees will have to try again. Whether it’s Berti’s Cubs, the Mets with Juan Soto, or the Yankees themselves, someone will have to rise to the challenge. But one thing’s for sure: the Dodgers’ actions after the win may have rubbed a lot of people the wrong way—and if the Yankees had been the ones to act with such little grace, they’d be facing far more criticism heading into 2025.
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