The Yankees versus the Dodgers — it’s a tale as old as 1941.
The New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers, two of the most storied franchises in Major League Baseball history, face-off Friday in the World Series for the first time since 1981.
While the two powerhouses are neck-and-neck during regular season games, the Dodgers have historically fallen short against the Yanks in the postseason, according to a CNN analysis of Major League Baseball data via Baseball Reference.
The teams have played against each other 11 times in past title series since their first in 1941. The Yankees have clinched eight of those championships.
The Yankees have 27 total World Series wins under their belt — more than any other MLB team. However, it has been 15 years since the Yankees won their last title, and this is their first time appearing in the World Series since then. The Dodgers claimed their latest title win in 2020 — after losing in 2017 and 2018 to two teams later accused of stealing signs.
The Dodgers-Yankees rivalry was hot in the 1940s and 50s, when the teams — with LA then the Brooklyn Dodgers — met in seven World Series championships, six of which the Yankees won. The Dodgers moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 1958.
The men in pinstripes have had a clear advantage when it comes to World Series wins against the Dodgers, having won 73% of World Series titles against Los Angeles/Brooklyn. However, when looking at all games played between the two teams — during the regular season and in the playoffs — they stack up more evenly.
Of the 88 games the teams have ever played against each other, the Yankees have won 55% of them and the Dodgers won 45%.
While a lot has changed since the two teams were crosstown rivals — the Dodgers in Brooklyn and the Yankees in the Bronx, which remains their stomping grounds to this day — fans’ anticipation for a good rematch drums on.