Carlos Rodón starts World Series Game 2 for the Yankees

LOS ANGELES – Carlos Rodón will start Game 2 of the World Series for the Yankees on Saturday night at Dodger Stadium, and Clarke Schmidt will start Game 3 when the showdown moves to Yankee Stadium on Monday night.

Rodón will try to help the Bombers in the Fall Classic after they lost 6-3 in a dramatic Game 1. After posting a 4.40 ERA in three starts this postseason, the left-hander will face the Dodgers' rookie right-hander. Hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Rodón's best start came in the American League Championship Series opener against the Guardians on October 14 (one run on three hits and no walks in six innings, with nine strikeouts).

“This lineup is pretty strong,” Rodón said of the Dodgers on Friday. “They can definitely do it and have a good idea of ​​the strike zone. “I’m just going to continue this behavior tomorrow and try to focus pitch by pitch and give my team the best chance to win.”

Rodón rebounded from a difficult 2023 with a 3.96 ERA and 10.03 strikeouts per nine innings this season, his second after signing a six-year, $162 million contract with the Yankees.

“Last year was tough. I mean, it wasn’t easy,” Rodón said. “I had a goal this year where I just wanted to be confident and go out there and try to start as best as I can. I think it’s worked out so far, but I know that me and my teammates still want to do something.”

The Dodgers announced that Walker Buehler will start alongside Schmidt, who has made two starts this postseason. The right-hander has allowed two runs in each outing over 4 2/3 innings, one in the AL Division Series and one in the ALCS.

“I feel like I'm almost in control of myself when it comes to emotions and can only watch Gerrit [Cole] and Rodón to see what the environment is like,” Schmidt said. “We know it will be very stressful and the intensity will be on a different level, but being able to watch these guys gives you a little insight into their game plan.”