Yankees vs Dodgers World Series Guide
In a postseason that has seen some once-ancient rivalries find new exuberance, the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers remain the final two teams standing. It is only fitting that a once-perennial World Series matchup is reignited once again.
MLB postseason ratings have skyrocketed throughout this October, in no small part because three teams in the two biggest markets in the nation were fighting for a pennant. Ultimately, the Yankees and Dodgers find themselves entrenched against each other once more.
As always, it is imperative to understand the long history between these two warring factions. Let the deep diving begin.
Money Talks, And The Yankees And Dodgers Have Plenty Of It
These two behemoth ball clubs have more clout and resources at their disposal than any other franchises in the world, never mind their MLB competitors. The numbers put that on a gaudy display, too.
The Yankees are the most valuable Major League Baseball team. In its annual appraisal of MLB team finances, Forbes Magazine valued the Yankees at $7.55 billion, which is $2 billion more than the Dodgers, who are second on that list. The Boys in Blue are valued at $5.45 billion and are an astonishing 14% more valuable than they were a year ago.
The Dodgers' fiscal might was evidenced by their offseason shopping spree, too. They spent over $1 billion in free agency, giving out the most lucrative contract in sports history to the once-in-a-lifetime talent, Shohei Ohtani. They also signed fellow Japanese superstar Yoshinobu Yamamoto to the biggest contract ever for a starting pitcher.
What is even more tantalizing about Ohtani's gargantuan deal is the fact that he has deferred $68 million of his $70 million salary. That means Ohtani is playing for a meager $2 million per year.
The deferrals begin in 2034, by which time Ohtani will receive $68 million per year until 2043. Talk about being a rich version of Bobby Bonilla.
The Money Just Keeps On Flowing
The heaping piles of cash that have defined the Yankees and Dodgers throughout their respective histories hardly stops there.
The Yankees have some colossal pacts of their own, as always. Aaron Judge and Gerrit Cole are still the second and sixth-highest-paid free agents ever.
ALCS MVP Giancarlo Stanton remains one of the most well-compensated ball players as well. The resurgent Carlos Rodon is paid more than only five other starting pitchers. Juan Soto also earned the most money ever for an arbitration-eligible player, at $31 million in 2024.
Both teams just love showing off their shiny new toys. The Yankees and Dodgers meet each other in this World Series with the third and second-highest team payrolls as well, per Cot's Contracts. Their combined payrolls exceed $660 billion. Do you think both teams have enough money?
The Yankees And Dodgers Do "Buy" Their Rings. So What? Every Other Team Can Do It.
Naturally, there is a vocal minority of fans who feel that the Yankees and Dodgers are playing an unfair game. To any detractors who still use the laughable argument that these two teams are "bought" - congrats! You have just figured out that billionaire owners who actually invest in their teams tend to win more often than those who do not.
That narrative is intellectually disingenuous and lazy. Every Major League Baseball team has a billionaire owner who can spend at will - they just choose not to. Just because some owners - like David Guggenheim and Hal Steinbrenner - care about winning, doesn't mean they are doing something that other billionaire owners cannot.
That narrative does not add up to begin with, anyway. Based on Baseball Reference's version of WAR for all projected postseason rosters, the Yankees have accrued 39.3 of their 50 WAR via homegrown talent and trades. Free agents comprise 10.7 WAR for the Bronx Bombers.
The Dodgers have certainly utilized the free agent market - as any team can - but they have also executed shrewd trades. In recent years, the Dodgers have developed homegrown talent of their own, and are better than any team at drafting and allocating dollars in free agency.
Another Recent History Lesson For Fans
The Yankees and Dodgers will battle each other in the Fall Classic for an unprecedented 12th time. It is by far the most frequent playoff matchup among all MLB teams. This is also the first time in a full season since 2013 that the top teams from each league are playing each other in the World Series.
If that was not enough, here's more. This is the first time since 2012 that each league's respective MVP will face his counterpart on the biggest stage. Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani might have had the two greatest seasons ever in their respective leagues, so they are both going to win MVP again.
Want more? This World Series will be just the sixth between each league's home run leader, and the first since 1956.
To top it all off, this is only the third time this century that World Series opponents have their league's best record and run differential. The other two times were in 2020 and 2013.
A Refresher Course For The Grandparents
Despite how often their World Series clashes have occurred, the Yankees and Dodgers have not faced each other in the postseason since the 1981 World Series. Ronald Reagan was in his first year in office, the oldest millennials were newborn babies, and the PG-13 rating for movies did not yet exist. That's how long it's been.
Of the previous 11 World Series bouts between these two teams, the Yankees have won eight of them. The Dodgers won in 1981, 1963, and 1955, but the Yankees emerged victorious in all of the others.
Glory For The Yankees In the Late 1970s
In the 1977 World Series, Reggie Jackson was Mr. October after he smashed three consecutive home runs on three pitches in Game Six.
Jackson hit .450 in that World Series, along with five home runs and eight RBI. He won World Series MVP for his valiant heroics, despite mounting animosity with manager Billy Martin during that season.
The following year, it was Bucky Dent who took home World Series MVP honors. Dent, who retired with a career .618 OPS, went 10-for-24 in that World Series with 7 RBI.
The Dodgers Have Had Some Illustrious Moments Against The Yankees, Too
In 1963, Sandy Koufax and Co. swept the Yankees in four games. The Yankees mustered just four runs the entire series, and Koufax won MVP.
After the Yankees won five World Series in 12 years against the then-Brooklyn Dodgers, the Bombers faltered in a seven-game classic in 1955. Dodgers Hall of Famer Duke Snider hit four long balls, registered a 1.210 OPS, and took home the MVP.
Can History Repeat Itself For The Yankees?
The Yankees have history on their side against the Dodgers. Obviously, previous World Series that took place between the early days of World War II and the retirement of legendary news anchor Walter Cronkite, have no bearing here.
With that being said, the Yankees have had a propensity to repeat history - dozens of times over, in fact. Whether they can finally capture their 28th championship hinges on the formula that has catapulted them to the finish line: patience, power, and the redemption arcs of Stanton, Torres, Rodon, and Volpe - among many other things.