MLB players making World Series debut in 2024

The 2024 World Series is a titanic matchup between two legendary franchises with a rich history of showdowns in the Fall Classic. When the Dodgers and Yankees played Game 1 on Friday night in Los Angeles, a contest that became an instant classic, the excitement was off the charts as the baseball world watched the two start-studded rosters face off.

Game 1 was special for a number of reasons, the foremost being Freddie Freeman‘s historic walk-off grand slam. But one of them is that several notable players made their World Series debuts. Here’s a look at how they fared in their first taste of the Fall Classic.

Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers
In his long-awaited World Series debut, Ohtani smashed a screaming line drive off the wall in right field in the eighth inning, advancing to third on an errant throw from right field by Juan Soto. The exit velocity of the double was 113.9 mph, and it was Ohtani’s first career World Series hit. Ohtani then scored to tie the game, 2-2, before Freddie Freeman launched his historic walk-off grand slam in the 10th.

Aaron Judge, Yankees
Judge got off to a rough start, striking out in each of his first three plate appearances against Dodgers starter Jack Flaherty. But he picked up his first World Series hit with a 106.5 mph single up the middle against reliever Brusdar Graterol in the seventh inning. In the top of the ninth, with the go-ahead run at second and two outs, he popped out to shortstop.

Jack Flaherty, Dodgers
Flaherty got the nod for Game 1, and outside of one pitch to Stanton that he’d like back, he was excellent. The right-hander gave up two runs (on Stanton’s homer) on five hits, walked one and struck out six over 5 1/3 innings. He generated 19 swings and misses, tied for the second-most whiffs he’s had in a game this year (he had 24 on April 30 vs. the Cardinals while still with the Tigers). Twelve of those came on his knuckle-curve, which had a 71% whiff rate.

Jazz Chisholm Jr., Yankees
Chisholm went 2-for-5 with a pair of singles and stole a World Series record-tying three bases, including two in the 10th inning, when he scored the go-ahead run to put the Yankees up, 3-2. The singles came off Dodgers reliever Anthony Banda in the sixth inning and Blake Treinen in the 10th. Chisholm’s steals came in the sixth (second base) and in the 10th (second and third).

Anthony Volpe, Yankees
Volpe delivered a go-ahead fielder’s choice in the 10th inning for the Yankees after Chisholm stole his way to third base. Volpe then stole a base of his own, swiping second. In his other four trips to the plate, he struck out twice, was intentionally walked and lined out to center field.

Tommy Edman, Dodgers
Edman, the National League Championship Series MVP, doubled in the sixth inning and made some great defensive plays after committing an error on a Stanton ground ball in the first, including a diving play to save a run in the top of the sixth. He also singled in the 10th before Freeman’s heroics.