Winner of star-studded World Series could influence Soto sweepstakes significantly

The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees open a potential World Series matchup for the ages on Friday night, and the winner could potentially alter the free agent market in the off-season significantly.

This World Series clash was always a strong possibility - the Yankees finished tops in the American League, while the Dodgers were the best in the majors in the regular season.

Both teams made it to this stage on the backs of their respective likely MVP winners - Shohei Ohtani for Los Angeles, and Aaron Judge for the Yankees.

ESPN's Buster Olney joined First Up on TSN 1050 Friday morning to discuss who he thinks has the advantage in the matchup, how both teams can win and how the result of this World Series is likely to influence the impending free agency of Yankees superstar Juan Soto.

"You have this historical matchup between the Dodgers and the Yankees, you have Ohtani and Judge, the two biggest stars in the sport," Olney said. 

"By my count, as many as 20 per cent of the players in this World Series are going to end up making speeches in Cooperstown as Hall of Famers. There's so many stars."

Yankees have starting pitching, Dodgers have hitting, both teams have stars

Ohtani and Judge were the driving forces behind their team's success this season, and their presence will influence the result one way or another.

Ohtani achieved the first-ever 50-50 season this year by hitting 54 home runs and stealing 59 bases. Judge led the majors in home runs (58), runs batted in (144), on-base percentage (.458) and slugging percentage (.701).

Both players are the favourites to take home the MVP award in their respective leagues, which would make it just the seventh time the MVPs from each league met in the World Series, and first since 2012, when Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers played Buster Posey of the San Francisco Giants.

Olney is looking at other factors in the matchup to decide who the winner will be.

"I picked the Yankees to win in six games, because of the pitching advantage, but I would say the Dodgers could easily overcome that advantage because their offence is that great," Olney said.

"The Dodgers only have three healthy starters, and we don't even know if Jack Flaherty is healthy. [Flaherty] is someone who was initially going to be traded to the Yankees at the trade deadline, and the Yankees killed the deal over concerns about his back."

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts addressed concerns over Flaherty's velocity being down in the playoffs at media day on Thursday. The 28-year-old has allowed 12 earned runs in 15.1 innings in the postseason for the Dodgers. 

"So the Dodgers have Flaherty, who may be compromised, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Walker Buehler, who is not the same as he's been in the past, but they do have a deeper bullpen. I'd say the Yankees have an advantage in pitching," said Olney.

On the other hand, the Dodgers offence pounded 46 runs across the plate in six games in the NLCS against the New York Mets, and their lineup includes a bevy of All-Stars and former MVP winners.

"I was talking to Mike Shildt, the manager of the San Diego Padres who were eliminated by the Dodgers, and he said "When you manage against the Dodgers, they just keep coming at you," Olney said.

"On paper, the Yankees rotation could be an advantage, but they also could have those guys out of the game by the fourth inning. This could be an absolute slugfest."

How could a potential Yankees victory shape Juan Soto's decision in free agency?

The Yankees swung a huge deal last December to acquire Soto from the Padres, giving up major-league level pieces and valuable prospects to bring in the slugger who's contract expires at the end of the year.

Soto delivered in every possible way to help lead the Yankees to their first World Series appearance since 2009: The 25-year-old hit 41 home runs, drove in 109 runs and scored an American League-leading 128 runs of his own. If not for his brilliant teammate Judge, Soto would've been a strong MVP candidate for the Yankees.

A Yankees victory over the Dodgers could actually push Soto away from re-signing with the team, Olney thinks.

"I will say this: If the Yankees win the World Series, I think it absolutely gives their organization and owner Hal Steinbrenner some cover because their fan base, their standard is "If you don't win the World Series, you stink," and they will have won a World Series," Olney said.

"While their fans may not necessarily be thrilled about it, I think that getting that championship trophy, having that parade allows Hal to say "You know what, we got Juan Soto for one year, mission accomplished."

Soto is likely going to choose between either the Yankees or the Mets in free agency, with comfort in the Yankees clubhouse being a pulling factor against the likelihood that Mets owner Steve Cohen is prepared to make Soto an offer the Yankees are not expected to match.

"I felt going into the postseason that in the end it's going to come down to a decision by Juan Soto - does he want to take a lesser offer from the Yankees, or does he want to take more money from the Mets, who can separate themselves significantly," Olney said.

"I think if the Yankees win the World Series, it increases the likelihood that Soto leaves."