New York Yankees Set to Face Los Angeles Dodgers in World Series

For the first time in 43 years, the two longtime rivals will square off in the Fall Classic.

Oct 20, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Treinen (49) players celebrate after defeating the New York Mets in game six of the NLCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The dream coast-to-coast matchup is finally happening.

For the first time since 1981, the New York Yankees will be playing their longtime rival, the Los Angeles Dodgers, in the World Series; the Dodgers punched their ticket to the Fall Classic on Sunday with a dominant 10-5 victory over the New York Mets to win the NLCS in six games. The day before Los Angeles clinched, the Yankees beat the Cleveland Guardians 5-2 in extra innings to win the ALCS in five games.

THE #WORLDSERIES MATCHUP IS SET @YANKEES. @DODGERS. 🤩 pic.twitter.com/qajZFWVTkS

— MLB (@MLB) October 21, 2024

Although the 2024 World Series will be the 120th edition of Major League Baseball's championship series, the star power featured in this year's series may arguably be the best in its history. Los Angeles features a lineup with three MVP winners in its top three spots, those being designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (2021 and 2023 AL MVP, and likely 2024 NL MVP), right fielder Mookie Betts (2018 AL MVP), and first baseman Freddie Freeman (2020 NL MVP).

Meanwhile, New York will have their fearsome trio of sluggers in center fielder Aaron Judge (2022 AL MVP and likely 2024 AL MVP), right fielder Juan Soto (four Silver Slugger Awards by the age of 25), and designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (2017 NL MVP and 2024 ALCS MVP) to bolster their batting order, along with reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole leading the pitching rotation.

Other key players for the Dodgers include outfielder Teoscar Hernández, catcher Will Smith, infielder Max Muncy, shortstop Tommy Edman (2024 NLCS MVP), and pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Jack Flaherty, Walker Buehler, Michael Kopech, Evan Phillips, and Blake Treinen. The Yankees' additional cornerstones include second baseman Gleyber Torres, third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr., shortstop Anthony Volpe, outfielder Alex Verdugo, catcher Austin Wells, and pitchers Carlos Rodón, Clarke Schmidt, Luis Gil, Clay Holmes, and Luke Weaver.

To further build the hype around this year's Fall Classic, the Yankees-Dodgers matchup is arguably the most storied matchup in World Series history. The two teams will face each other for the 12th time (most in World Series history); the first seven matchups occurred when the Dodgers played in Brooklyn, New York (thus making them Subway Series), while the next four have come after their move to Los Angeles, California. The Yankees claimed the title in 1941, 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953, 1956, 1977, and 1978, while the Dodgers emerged victorious in 1955, 1963, and 1981.

Both the Yankees and Dodgers boast among the highest payrolls in the league ($309 million for New York, $241 million for Los Angeles) and earned the top seed in their respective leagues (the Dodgers had the best record in baseball at 98-64, while the Yankees' 94-68 record paced the American League).

This clash of two juggernauts will begin on Friday, October 25 at Dodger Stadium; start time and starting pitching matchups are still to be determined, while every game of the series will be broadcast on FOX.