Dodgers announce pregame details for World Series Games 1 & 2 at Dodger Stadium

LOS ANGELES — The first World Series between the Dodgers and Yankees in 43 years begins in Los Angeles on Friday night, and Major League Baseball announced on Thursday the plans for pregame festivities for Games 1 and 2 at Dodger Stadium.

There will be a moment of silence prior to Game 1 on Friday for Fernando Valenzuela, who died at age 63 on Tuesday. The Dodgers will wear a number 34 patch with his first name on it throughout this World Series as well as for all of the 2025 season.

Ceremonial first pitches before Game 1 will be thrown by Steve Yeager, one of three co-MVPs of the 1981 World Series against the Yankees, and Orel Hershiser, the World Series MVP in 1988. Hershiser was on tap to throw the first pitch prior to Game 7 of the NLCS had that series lasted that long.

Prior to Game 2, Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier will throw out ceremonial first pitches.

Dodgers fan Brad Paisley, who helped facilitate the team’s trade for Tyler Glasnow in December, will perform the national anthem prior to Game 1. If his past Dodgers World Series anthems are any indication, the Dodgers could be in for a barn-burner on Friday night. Paisley also performed the anthem prior to Game 3 of the 2018 World Series, a classic 18-inning affair ended by Max Muncy’s walk-off home run, as well as Game 2 of the 2017 World Series, a home-run-filled extra-inning affair against that one team.

Before Game 2, Pearle Peterson will sing the national anthem.

Every game of the 2024 World Series starts at 5:08 p.m. PT. For the first two games in Los Angeles, Dodger Stadium gates for both the stadium and parking lot will open at 2:08 p.m., three hours prior to first pitch.