The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the New York Mets in decisive fashion, scoring 46 runs in the National League Championship Series to advance to the World Series for the first time since 2020.
Despite the NLCS going six games, the final result was a little bit deceiving as the Dodgers dominated for most of the series against a talented Mets team.
On the American League side, the New York Yankees handled business against the Cleveland Guardians in five games. The Guardians gave everything they had but it was not quite enough as the Yankees got key hits late in Games 4 and 5 to advance to their first World Series since 2009.
With the two biggest teams on America’s two coasts advancing, for the first time in 43 years the former New York rivals will resume their famed Fall Classic clash. The 2024 edition of the World Series is the 12th all-time meeting between these two teams and the first of the 21st century.
World Series: Yankees vs. Dodgers history
1941 WS: Yankees defeat Dodgers 4-1
The 1941 World Series was the inaugural meeting between the Dodgers and Yankees. For a little perspective, it was also the last World Series before the United States’ entry into World War II. The first two games of the series were split before an important Game 3.
Freddie Fitzsimmons held the Yankees’ offense silent throughout the game, but exited in the seventh inning due to suffering a fractured kneecap on a line-drive comebacker. The Yankees immediately scored two runs the next inning and that was enough for the Game 3 win.
The Yankees won the next two games and in the series as well. The 1941 season was a sign of things to come for the Dodgers as their next six World Series appearances were also against these same Yankees.
1947 WS: Yankees defeat Dodgers 4-3
Before the 1947 World Series even began, the Dodgers cemented their legacy not only in the annals of MLB history but also for the country. The Dodgers were led by Rookie of the Year Jackie Robinson, marking the first World Series in MLB history to feature a racially integrated team.
It was also the first World Series to be televised, although in a limited capacity.
It was a much more tightly contested series between the Yankees and Dodgers this time around as Brooklyn forced a Game 7. The Yankees ultimately took the winner-take-all game thanks to five relief innings from Joe Page.
Robinson was up to the challenge in the first postseason action of his career, tying Pee Wee Reese for the team lead in hits with seven.
1949 WS: Yankees defeat Dodgers 4-1
This time it only took two seasons for a Dodgers vs. Yankees rematch in the World Series. The Dodgers arguably played even better than they did in 1947, holding the Yankees’ offense to 37 hits and having 34 of their own. But the Dodgers were unable to come through with a big hit throughout the series, with the Yankees outscoring them 21-14.
Bobby Brown had an excellent series for the Yankees, going 6-for-12 with five RBI, two walks and five runs scored.
1952 WS: Yankees defeat Dodgers 4-3
Of the four World Series losses to the Yankees up to this point, the 1952 matchup might be the most heartbreaking of the bunch for the Dodgers.
Brooklyn and New York each had 50 hits in the series, and the Yankees even committed six more errors than the Dodgers.
A seventh-inning rally in Game 7 at Ebbets Field is perhaps the closest the Dodgers came to their first World Series trophy in franchise history.
Facing a 4-2 deficit, the Dodgers had the bases loaded with Duke Snider and Robinson due up. With a chance to tie or take the lead, Snider popped out to third base on a 3-2 count and Robinson popped out to second base to end the threat.
The game ended with a 4-2 Yankees victory.
1953 WS: Yankees defeat Dodgers 4-2
If 1952 was the most heartbreaking loss, 1953 has to be the most frustrating for the Dodgers. The team won a franchise-record 105 games that season with NL MVP Roy Campanella leading the way. Against their biggest postseason rival, the team looked poised to finally end their World Series drought after six appearances with nothing to show for it.
Despite out-hitting the Yankees 64-54, the Dodgers did not play their best baseball with seven errors committed.
1955 WS: Dodgers defeat Yankees 4-3
After 39 years since their first World Series appearance and seven total fruitless trips to the Fall Classic, the Dodgers did what many back then probably thought was impossible and won their first championship in franchise history.
It was a total team effort as Campanella, Snider, Reese, Carl Furillo, Jim Gilliam and Gil Hodges all had at least seven hits. An MVP was selected for the first time in World Series history, and there was none more deserving than Dodgers’ pitcher Johnny Podres.
Podres won both of his starts and threw a complete game in each of them, including a shutout in Game 7.
1956 WS: Yankees defeat Dodgers 4-3
For the fourth time in five seasons the World Series was played between the Yankees and Dodgers. The Dodgers’ title defense started out well as they won the first two games, scoring 19 runs in the process.
However, the Yankees’ starting pitching recovered in a big way with five consecutive complete games to close out the series, including Don Larsen’s perfect game in Game 5. It remains the only postseason perfect game in MLB history and is one of only three postseason no-hitters.
It was the end of an era with the Dodgers switching coasts two seasons later to begin playing in Los Angeles in 1958.
1963 WS: Dodgers defeat Yankees 4–0
The 1963 World Series was the first postseason meeting between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Yankees. It was complete and utter dominance from the Dodgers as they only needed to use four pitchers for the entire series.
Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Podres and reliever Ron Perranoski gave up a combined four runs across 36 innings of work.
At no point in the series did the Yankees have the lead and they were held a .171 team batting average, the lowest ever for them in the postseason. It was also the first time in their history that the Yankees were swept in four games in the World Series.
It is also remains the only time the Dodgers have clinched at their home stadium, not counting 2020 which was at a neutral site.
1977 WS: Yankees defeat Dodgers 4–2
After eight World Series meetings in the span of 22 years, the 14 years between 1963 and 1977 marked the longest period of time without the Dodgers and Yankees playing for a championship.
Reggie Jackson was the biggest story from this World Series as he had a postseason performance for the ages, earning himself the nickname “Mr. October” in the process. Jackson collected nine hits in 20 at-bats, five of which were home runs, and accounted for 18 of the Yankees’ 26 total runs in the series.
1978 WS: Yankees defeat Dodgers 4–2
After going so long without a World Series matchup, it made sense that the Dodgers and Yankees felt the need to run it back the very next season.
The 1978 World Series was the third time in their history that the Dodgers and Yankees faced off in the Fall Classic in back-to-back seasons.
Jackson stole the show once again, but he was not alone as Brian Doyle, Bucky Dent, Thurman Munson and Mickey Rivers each had great a series in their own right.
Bill Russell and Davey Lopes were the standouts on the Dodgers’ side, but it was not nearly enough as the Yankees outhit L.A., 68-52.
1981 WS: Dodgers defeat Yankees 4–2
Fernando Valenzuela made 328 regular season and postseason starts during his 11-year Dodgers’ career, but none were bigger than his performance in Game 3 of the 1981 World Series.
After losing the first two games of the series to the Yankees, the Dodgers turned to their NL Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Award winner that season, the 20-year-old who had taken the world by storm.
In response, Valenzuela delivered one of the gutsiest performances in postseason history, throwing 149 pitches to complete nine innings in a 5-4 Dodgers’ victory.
It was the beginning of four straight Dodgers’ victories as LA beat the Yankees in the World Series for just the third time in 11 tries.
Steve Garvey and Ron Cey led the way for the Dodgers offensively with 10 and seven hits respectively.
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
