Dodgers Fan Bryan Cranston Reveals Longstanding Heartbreak

Sam Garcia | Sep 14, 2024

William Purnell-Imagn Images

The Dodgers and New York Yankees have faced off 11 times throughout history in the World Series, with the Yankees holding an 8-3 record. 

The two teams have not met in the World Series since 1981. With each roster containing a frontrunner for their respective league’s MVP award, the possibility of a reunification of the teams in this year’s World Series is enticing. 

In an interview with “Breaking Bad” and “Malcolm in the Middle” actor Bryan Cranston, MLB writer Michael Clair asked the Dodgers superfan about the potential matchup between the Dodgers and Yankees in the 2024 World Series.

“It means God is listening, because that's what I hope happens,” Cranston said to Clair. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for the Yankee organization.”

The battle between the potential American League MVP Aaron Judge and the potential National League MVP Shohei Ohtani would be one for the books. Judge and Ohtani lead their respective leagues in nearly every batting statistic, causing a debate to surface over which of the two is better. A World Series matchup could be the deciding factor. 

Although Cranston would enjoy watching the Yankees and Dodgers go head-to-head in the World Series, he can not help but think back to the devastating World Series losses he has experienced as a Dodger fan. 

Born in 1956, which is one of eight years the Yankees have beaten the Dodgers, Cranston still remembers the pain of watching the Dodgers lose back-to-back World Series in 1977-78.

“Yankee fans are insanely supportive in every great way. I don't know if there are stronger passions that run deeper than a Yankee fan,” Cranston said to Clair. “But I will say that I'm not a Yankee fan. They've been Dodger killers ever since they were in Brooklyn and those two World Series in the '70s broke my heart. It's just so painful, but I'd love to see it.”

Three years after the Dodgers' consecutive World Series losses to their former crosstown rivals, the team got their chance to redeem themselves in the 1981 World Series. Being the last World Series matchup between the Yankees and Dodgers, the Dodgers are the reigning champions between the two teams. 

“Well, we actually did get back at them in '81 against the Yankees. There was some retribution there,” Cranston said to Clair. 

It has been 43 years since the last Dodgers and Yankees World Series duel, meaning a handful of baseball fans have never had the chance to watch the two teams face off. Perhaps this is the year for a historic matchup.