For much of America, the end of the 2024 baseball season was a true masterpiece.
We saw a total collapse by the New York Yankees in an elimination situation in Game 5, ignited by an error by their biggest star, Aaron Judge, who had flopped badly in October.
There was a complete repudiation of New York fandom after two Yankees fans tried to mug Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts in plain sight during Game 4, then insisted they “patrol the wall” like they were part of the team.
And there was a critical flop for Fox Sports, which focused so much on the Shohei Ohtani-Judge narrative and quasi-celebrities like Fat Joe, Billy Crystal, Rob Lowe and Spike Lee that it forgot what viewers tuned in to see — a World Series game. The network’s only saving grace was that ESPN embarrassed itself even more by portraying the lunkhead fans who accosted Betts as lovable New Yorkers just passionate about their Yanks. After a social media backlash, they buried the story on their website.
Now that the Series is over and we turn to the Cubs and White Sox offseasons, here are six takeaways from the ending — and what’s next.
1. The new Mr. October
Not only did the World Series MVP Freddie Freeman hit a home run in a record four straight games, he tied Yankees second baseman Bobby Richardson’s record of 12 RBIs in the 1960 Series. That’s seven more RBIs than former White Sox catcher Martín Maldonado had in all of 2024.
I would be curious to hear what Reggie Jackson thinks about the new Mr. October. When Derek Jeter was dubbed “Mr. November” by the New York media after his famous home run in Game 4 of the 2001 World Series — the first Series to run into November — I asked Jackson the next day if he was amused by the title that reflected his famous nickname.
“Do you have a World Series record book?” Jackson replied. “Go look at it.” I did not have one on me at the batting cage, but understood Jackson was referring to his 10 World Series home runs. Jackson sniffed at Jeter being Mr. November based on his heroics of the previous night.
”One home run?” he said of Jeter’s shot. “A lot of guys hit one home run.”
2. Michael Kopech’s resurrection
On March 1, White Sox pitcher Michael Kopech made his first Cactus League start at Sloan Park, facing the Cubs’ Justin Steele. After he came out, he said it was the best he’s felt mentally in a while.
“Got a great group of guys around us and I’m fortunate to have four little ones, a beautiful wife and I got baptized this offseason,” he said. “I’m in a pretty good head space. We have an opportunity to do something pretty special with this club as far as changing things around, and I think that’s already happened.”
Kopech soon lost his starting job and moved to the bullpen, where he struggled at times as a closer for a Sox team that would go on to lose a record 121 games.
Kopech, however, rewrote his ending after being dealt to the Dodgers, succeeding in low- and high-leverage roles, making 10 postseason appearances and earning a ring. A lot can change in the space of eight months.
3. Anthony Rizzo’s speech
Fox reporter Tom Verducci, who is wasted in a dugout observer role, informed viewers before Game 3 that Yankees star Anthony Rizzo gave a pregame speech, just as he did with the Cubs before Game 5 of the 2016 World Series.
“Back then, Rizzo broke the tension by quoting his favorite movie lines with no clothes on,” Verducci said. “The mood, and the attire, a little more serious tonight. The meeting was quick. Rizzo was the only one who spoke. And one player said it was a bonding experience.”
But then the Yankees lost Game 3 and went down in five games, proving Rizzo is no Jason Heyward when it comes to clubhouse meetings.
4. Big Papi, also known as David Ortiz, needs to go
Papi told us so on the Fox’s Game 5 pregame show, saying he wanted the Dodgers to win so he could go home. He was laughing at his own remark, as usual, but obviously it was true: One of Fox’s three pre- and postgame analysts was tired of the season, working long hours at the ballpark and perhaps hearing “Papi sucks” during the telecasts.
Poor Papi. His “Look at me” shtick has worn thin with viewers, particularly this October when he handed out T-shirts with his own picture on it to players.
5. Myth busters
Sorry, Billy Crystal, but the World Series does not “belong” in the Bronx. It was fun to see it come back there after 15 years, but most fans would just as soon see it somewhere else next year … Ohtani went 2-for-19 (.105) in the World Series with one extra base hit, but Joe Davis is still waiting for him to bust out of this slump … Former Cubs starter Marcus Stroman was added to the World Series roster, but was the only Yankees pitcher who did not make an appearance … White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas, who played 30 games for the Dodgers before arriving in a three-way deal that sent Kopech to Los Angeles, will get a ring.
6. Looking ahead
The first line after the Dodgers championship had them as 13/4 favorites to repeat in 2025, according to BetOnline.ag. The Cubs were 35/1 and the White Sox were dead last at 300/1.
Next up: general manager meetings next week in San Antonio.
The countdown to opening day on March 18 has begun. The Cubs will return to Japan for the first time since 2000 to take on the defending champion Dodgers.
