Dodgers vs. Yankees opens with Cole-Sasaki duel in the Bronx

Last updated: July 17, 2026, 7:18 p.m. EDT

Two scoreless innings set the tone Friday as the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees opened a three-game series at Yankee Stadium. Gerrit Cole and Roki Sasaki each retired the first three hitters they faced, turning a heavily anticipated matchup into an early pitching duel. The game also marked the Dodgers' first visit to the Bronx since clinching the 2024 World Series on the same field.

The Bottom Line

• The Dodgers entered the series with MLB's best record at 61-36 and an 11.5-game lead in the NL West.
• The Yankees arrived at 54-42 after winning four consecutive games before the All-Star break.
• Cole struck out five Dodgers through three innings, including Freddie Freeman twice.
• Shohei Ohtani started at designated hitter after skipping the All-Star Game because of left knee irritation.
• Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and several prominent pitchers were unavailable because of injuries.

Breaking It Down

The opening matchup paired two starters trying to sharpen uneven seasons. Cole entered at 3-4 with a 4.04 ERA, while Sasaki carried a 3-5 record and 5.33 ERA. Sasaki had allowed 22 runs across his previous 23 innings, and five home runs in his last two starts, creating a difficult assignment against a Yankees lineup that had hit an MLB-leading 142 homers.

Neither pitcher showed early vulnerability. Sasaki worked a clean first inning, and Cole answered by striking out Andy Pages and Freeman with 98-mph fastballs. Cole allowed two two-out singles in the second but escaped by getting Dalton Rushing to swing through another 98-mph pitch. In the third, Jasson Domínguez tracked Ohtani's towering drive to the right-field wall before Cole struck out Freeman with a slider, keeping the game scoreless.

Ohtani's presence was a major pregame question after his All-Star absence, but Los Angeles placed him in his usual leadoff spot. He entered Friday batting .293 with 22 home runs, 58 RBIs and a .953 OPS. New York countered without Judge, who remained on the injured list with a right rib stress fracture, and Stanton, who was sidelined with a leg injury.

The matchup can be watched on MLB Network, YES and SportsNet LA, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET. The complete broadcast and streaming guide also lists Fubo as an option, subject to regional restrictions.

Why This Matters

Friday's game brought together two teams built for October, but their paths into the second half looked different. Los Angeles had the strongest record and a league-best plus-149 run differential, yet entered the break after losing five of seven games and being swept for the first time this season. New York had the American League's best run differential at plus-91, but trailed Tampa Bay by three games in the AL East.

Injuries prevent the series from being a full-strength comparison. The Dodgers were missing catcher Will Smith, starters Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, and closer Edwin Díaz. The Yankees were without Judge, Stanton, Carlos Rodón and Max Fried. Even so, the weekend offers a useful measure of roster depth and gives both clubs three high-pressure games immediately after the break.

It will be a good test for us. We've got to try and step up to that hype and play our game.

What Comes Next

The series continues Saturday with Emmet Sheehan scheduled for Los Angeles and left-hander Ryan Weathers set for New York. First pitch is listed for 8:08 p.m. ET, with Fox carrying the exclusive broadcast.

Sunday's finale is scheduled to feature Schlittler, who entered the weekend with a 2.05 ERA, against Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who carried a 2.85 ERA. Those confirmed pitching matchups give the series two more opportunities to test how each depleted roster compares with a possible postseason opponent.