World Series 2024: Gleyber Torres' defensive error gives Dodgers a chance as Yankees lose epic Game 1

LOS ANGELES – Gleyber Torres looked into his glove. This was nothing more than a gigantic missed opportunity.

Game 1 of the World Series on Friday night was an instant classic, a heavyweight bout capped with a knockout for the ages. Freddie Freeman's walk-off grand slam is, fittingly, what will live on in the minds and highlights of baseball fans around the world.

But that historic momentum that gave the Dodgers a 6-3 victory was only made possible by a crucial error by the Yankees two innings earlier.

With the Yankees holding a one-run lead with one out in the eighth, presumptive National League MVP Shohei Ohtani hit a soggy changeup off the wall. As Ohtani hit a double to first, Yankees right fielder Juan Soto collected the pill and hurled it toward the infield grass toward safety.

At least that's what he thought.

The throw skipped the Dodger Stadium floor about a foot in front of Torres. But instead of catching the ball with his body like a hockey goalie, the second baseman attempted a backhanded shot. Torres has completed this scoop countless times, but given the situation, it was an incredibly careless decision. The precious white speck shot from the top pinky of Torres' black-and-brown Rawlings mitt and rolled toward the mound. Ohtani, seeing a gap, slipped to third.

Those 90 feet, as so often in the October Pocket, made the difference. Ohtani scored on a sac fly from the next batter, Mookie Betts, to tie the game. If Torres cleanly catches Soto's throw and prevents Ohtani from advancing, the Dodgers will almost certainly leave the eighth inning without scoring a run.

Instead, the game took on a whole new dimension and ended with a chaotic, unforgettable ending. Torres' huge mistake opened the window.

“If I had another chance, I would try to block the ball,” a dejected Torres told reporters after the game. “Just keep it at the forefront and keep it a little simpler.”

Unfortunately for the 27-year-old second baseman, the gaffe wasn't out of character. Torres was particularly prone to lapses in concentration on the field during his seven years in pinstripes. In early August, he was benched mid-game by Yankees manager Aaron Boone for failing to let a ball run away from the wall, which Torres thought was a home run. Torres also became the worst second baseman in all of baseball in 2024. His glove never inspired confidence.

Still, Boone continued to defend Torres, an approach that paid off handsomely over time and into October. Since coming off the bench on August 2, the second baseman has the team's highest batting average and third-highest on-base percentage, behind only Aaron Judge and Juan Soto. Torres' turnaround at the top made New York's lineup more formidable by giving Judge and Soto more opportunities with runners on base.

However, the secondary aspects of Torres' game remained suboptimal. That was clearly evident in Game 1 on Friday.

“Once there's no play, you can really back off and give in and do a long jump, but he still managed a short jump. “You just have to secure a spot there,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said after his club’s shocking defeat.

You can chalk up other parts of this oh-so-crucial piece until the sun comes up. Should Soto have thrown it to cut man Anthony Volpe? Why did pitcher Tommy Kahnle back up third base? Where was first baseman Anthony Rizzo? But Boone's final point gets to the heart of the piece: the how doesn't matter. “You just have to secure it there.”

“(The play in question) was big,” Torres said afterward. “You know, every little thing, especially in these games, is important.”

Those razor-thin margins became apparent almost immediately after Torres' bobble brought the Dodgers back into contention. With two outs to start the ninth, Torres threw one into deep left field, into the outstretched glove of an overzealous fan. The interference was correctly executed and Torres received a double strike, despite technically crossing the wall.

Another evening, Torres experiences the taste of salvation. A few more centimeters and he has become a scapegoat and a hero. Instead, people will only remember the ball clattering from his glove into the air. His role in the gripping story is unfortunate and inevitable.

The entire sequence showed how the Yankees have overcome their own weaknesses so far this postseason. For a team still just four wins away from glory, the Bombers don't do the little things well. They are by far the worst baserunning team in the MLB. Defensive errors and inadequacies from Torres and Soto marked their otherwise successful seasons. Fundamentals are less important when giant men make their baseballs disappear into the night.

But while that style worked well against the Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Guardians, these Dodgers are a whole different beast. The Yankees can still fight their way back into this series without playing crisp baseball, but a flawless Game 2 would certainly help.