The press seems to be missing it, but an overlooked World Series storyline is that the Dodgers, despite leading 3-1, are not exactly scoring loads of runs. They haven't scored more than four runs in nine innings, and minus Freddie Freeman's contributions, the numbers would be far worse. If the Yankees are to stay alive for another night and force this series back to Chavez Ravine, they couldn't have a better guy on the hill than Gerrit Cole, who worked six solid innings in Game 1, allowing just one run and four hits, after the Yanks had won in his five previous starts. Meanwhile, Jack Flaherty has been less reifiable for the Dodgers, with a 6.10 ERA in the postseason. Play Yankees on Run Line

The surprise of the postseason is that bullpen games have worked more than decently for Dave Roberts, whose staff looked on the ropes in the division round vs. the Padres and has allowed the Yankees just 7 runs in three games. The Dodgers, however, are also picking their spots offensively and have not been exactly tearing the cover off of the ball, winning 4-2 each of the past two games. NY is desperate to stay alive, and if he wobbles, Aaron Boone will not stick long with Luis Gil on the mound. Aaron Judge's barren postseason another cause of concern for the Yanks, but they'll pull out all of the stops tonight in what has been a fairly low-scoring World Series. Play Dodgers-Yankees Under

Unfortunately for Yankees fans, instead of the sweet memories of 1978, they are dreading comparisons to 1963 when the Dodgers swept out the Yanks in four straight. Dave Roberts has been comfortable enough with his pitching depth to use bullpen games throughout the playoffs and will do so again tonight as the Yankees have only managed seven runs in the first three games of this series. Luis Gil tries to keep the Yanks afloat and New York has won five of his last six starts, but the Yanks are going to need Aaron judge (especially Judge) and their other big bats to wake up ASAP or it's going to be too late in this series. Play Yankees on Money Line

It needs to be 1978 again for the Yankees if they want to get back into this World Series. Way back then, the Dodgers took a similar 2-0 lead into to the Bronx for Game 3 before the Yanks turned the tables to win all three, then putting the hammer down on LA in Game 6 when Reggie Jackson provided the exclamation point. The pressure is on Clarke Schmidt to give NY a chance, and he was mostly serviceable this season with a 2.85 ERA, though he usually tops at five innings and Aaron Boone needs his bullpen ready. The Yankee batters (especially Aaron Judge) can do their part by simply being a bit more patient vs. Walker Buehler. Play Yankees on Run Line (-1)

A bitter pill for the Yankees on Friday night, burned by a walk-off grand slam by Freddie Freeman after walking Mookie Betts to load the bases. We're sure Aaron Boone might do it differently if given the chance. The Dodgers have lost Game 2 in both of their previous series this postseason, and probably won't get more than five innings from Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who hasn't gone more than five in is past three starts. The Yanks looked like they were ready to win last night and did get a homer from Giancarlo Stanton, while Carlos Rodon has been working deeper into recent games than Yamamoto and New York has won in five of his last six starts. Play Yankees on Money Line

Perhaps more of a break for the Dodgers to have these several days off before the World Series. The bullpen has been used extensively in the playoffs by Dave Roberts, and began to tire late in the NLCS vs. the Mets. Concern in LA, however, for Jack Flaherty, whose velocity has apparently decreased in recent outings and rendered him very ineffective vs. the Mets in last Friday's Game 5, when he allowed 8 runs and 8 hits in just 3 IP of an eventual 12-6 loss. Across his last six starts, Flaherty has a 6.75 ERA. Meanwhile, the Yankees are going to feel more comfy with Gerrit Cole, having won in his last five starts. Play Yankees on Money Line

A bit of deja vu in the NLCS from last October, when the D-backs looked out on their feet when trailing the Phils 3-1, only to stay alive in Game Five at home before shocking Philly twice at CBP to land in the World Series. This series could be following the same pattern after the Mets stayed alive on Friday. The pressure is now on the Dodgers, and we wonder if the pitching staff is beginning to wobble after a recent hot spell. LA hurlers were tattooed in Friday's 12-6 loss, from starter Jack Flaherty to the bullpen. The Mets are used to winning (as they've done 17 of the past 21 occasions) with Sean Manaea on the mound. Play Mets on Money Line

Suddenly, pitching is in short supply for this series, as 26 runs have been scored in Games 3 and 4 on Thursday and Friday in Cleveland. The Yanks have been bringing out the long balls in Cleveland, with all among Giancarlo Stanton (twice), Aaron Judge, and Juan Soto homering in the past two games. The Guardians, however, have been touching up the New York bullpen, which figures to get more work tonight. Though maybe not as much work as Cleveland's, with Stephen Vogt down 3-1 and in do-or-die mode, and unsure of how much it can get from starter Tanner Bibee, who didn't even last past the second inning when surrendering three runs and five hits in Tuesday's 6-3 Game 2 loss. Play Yankees-Guardians "Over"

Both pitching staffs seem to be running out of steam in the ALCS, as each bullpen has started to wobble noticeably. That's a bit worrying for the Yankees, who haven't had Luis Gil on the mound for almost three weeks after he was shelled September 28 vs. the Pirates, allowing six runs (and four homers) in just 5 2/3 IP. The bullpen couldn't hold on last night as Cleveland was able to claw back and win in extra innings to make this a series again. While Gil hasn't pitched in nearly three weeks, Cleveland counterpart Gavin Williams hasn't pitched in almost four weeks (September 22) , mostly because he was a 5.55 ERA in ten starts since the start of August. Play Yankees-Guardians "Over"

This is not the top pitching matchup of this ALCS, we might expect these teams to clear 7 runs in Game 3 by Lake Erie. Clarke Schmidt looks perhaps the weak link in the Yankees rotation at the moment, as he's not lasting beyond five innings in recent starts, and a very so-so 4.50 ERA in his last three starts. Meanwhile, Matthew Boyd isn't lasting much longer (or, make that any longer) lately for Cleveland, as he hasn't been on the mound for more than 4 1/3 innings since September 6 vs. the Dodgers. With Aaron Judge perhaps warming up after hitting his first homer of this postseason in Game 2, at least the Yankees offense looks like it's ready to rock. Play Yankees-Guardians Over

There's an issue for the Dodgers...Shohei Ohtani. We are in the midst of finding out how far the Blue can progress without Ohtani pulling his weight. That's out of the ordinary, but in the playoffs, he's only batting .222, and without an extra-base hit since Game One of the LDS. For New York, Luis Severino hasn't been the Mets' most effective pitcher, but when he starts, he's usually good for at least six innings of work (as in six of his last seven starts). He'll get bullpen relief in the later innings, but we suspect the Mets get there in better shape than LA because Walker Buehler has a 5.61 ERA in his last nine starts. Play Mets on Money Line

Disappearances by the Guardians offense are nothing new and recurred throughout the season and even in the ALDS vs. the Tigers before recovering. Tanner Bibee hasn't even been lasting five innings in recent starts, so Stephen Vogt is going to have to look hard at his bullpen in Game 2 (and for however long Cleveland lasts in this series). Meanwhile, Aaron Boone is going to be confident in starter Gerrit Cole, who has been sharp since the start of August, and a 2.40 ERA across his last thirteen starts. Boone would gladly settle for a repeat of Cole's seven innings in last Thursday's decider vs. the Royals, allowing just one run in 7 IP of a 3-1 Yankees clincher. Play Yankees on Run Line

In the nick of time, Cleveland got the offense going to close out the Tigers in the ALDS. Can the Guardians continue in that vein or if the offense slips back into one of its funks like we saw earlier in the Detroit series, and at times during the season. Whatever, Alex Cobb has given Stephen Vogt some serviceable work on the mound, though in limited appearances (2.76 ERA in 16 1/3 IP). Still, 3-4 innings max from Cobb before Vogt goes to the bullpen seems the plan. Carlos Rodon was not sharp on the mound for the Yankees in Game 2 vs. the Royals, but his September work was superb, when fashioning a 2.20 ERA in five starts. Play Guardians-Yankees "Under"

We didn't envision this as a possibility into June, but the Mets continue the ascent they began four months ago, and haven't stopped climbing yet. Meanwhile, the Dodger pitching reappeared just in time vs. the Padres in their NLDS, though San Diego helped the LA cause by looking to pull every pitch and hit homers as opposed. Kodai Senga has only pitched once in 2 1/2 months for the Mets, but was active again in the previous round vs. the Phils and worked two fairly clean innings. Meanwhile NY bats are itching to take swings vs. Jack Flaherty, who faltered late in the season, and a 6.52 ERA across his last four starts. Play Mets on Money Line

They reprise the Game 2 matchup on the mound for the deciding Game Five on Saturday, and with all due respect to Cleveland's ex-Tiger Matthew Boyd, it's the current Tiger Skubal we would rather shade. That's because the AL Cy Young favorite hasn't allowed a run in his last three starts and only one spanning 25 IP in his last four starts (0.36 ERA; all four of those being wins for Detroit). Stephen Vogt might have Boyd on a tighter leash, with Boyd working only 4 2/3 innings on Monday, allowing 4 hits (no runs). in his previous three starts, however, he'd allowed 9 runs (5 earned) and 15 hits across 11 IP. We'd rather back Skubal in this series-decider. Play Tigers on Money Line