The matchup for the 2024 World Series is all set. The New York Yankees defeated the Cleveland Guardians to win the American League on Saturday, and the Los Angeles Dodgers bested the New York Mets on Sunday to conquer the National League on Sunday. The Yankees will travel to Chavez Ravine for Game One of the World Series on Friday.
The win by the Dodgers also dashed the much anticipated possibility (but honestly absurd notion) of a Subway World Series between the Yankees and Mets. Instead, baseball fans will be treated to another clash between the Yankees and Dodgers in a World Series matchup. The two teams have met in the World Series more than any other two teams in baseball with the Yankees winning 8 of 11 previous matchups. In fact, the only championship rivalry that can compare with the Dodgers vs the Yankees has to be in the NBA with the rivalry between the Lakers and the Celtics. Dodgers star Mookie Betts said in an interview after the Dodgers’ clinching win about another Dodgers vs Yankees World Series matchup that “The world kind of wants this…” This turned out to be a sentiment shared by several other Dodgers players who said the same thing.
Tommy Edman, who was named NLCS MVP, homered along with Will Smith to give the Dodgers a 10-5 victory to advance to the World Series. This will be the 22nd trip in franchise history for the Dodgers, but, more importantly, it’s the first trip for superstar Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani signed with the Dodgers in a historic offseason for a shot at winning a World Series (my apology to my cousin Judy Shields, a loyal Angels fan, and who I love very much).
Both teams’ stars, Ohtani and Aaron Judge, haven’t produced the big numbers they put up in the regular season, but Ohtani has done a lot of damage this postseason with runners in scoring position. Many “experts” point to the fact that Dodgers’ pitching is reaching a breaking point and about to face a Yankees team that grinds down pitchers. However, the Yankees don’t exactly boast a shutdown pitching staff either, and they will have to contend with a lineup that includes Ohtani, a hot Mookie Betts, a upward trending Max Muncy and Will Smith, Tommy Edman who has shined since being acquired by the Dodgers, and more. I’d also like to point out that, according to the experts, it should have been either the Phillies or the Padres facing the Yankees in the World Series (again proving my point that they are frequently wrong).
The fireworks start on Friday, October 25 in Los Angeles at legendary Dodger Stadium, and will broadcast on Fox. It was just confirmed by New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone that right-hander Gerrit Cole will start Friday’s Game 1 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
