The potential for an extraordinary 2024 World Series is being driven by historical significance and celebrity appeal.
In 2024, the highly anticipated World Series will see the two strongest teams from their respective leagues go head-to-head. These powerhouses, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees, boast legendary histories and jaw-dropping championship records, adding an East Coast versus West Coast atmosphere to the highly anticipated seven-game series fight for the title.
The Dodgers, with Shohei Ohtani leading the charge, and the Yankees, fueled by slugger Aaron Judge, will have their enthusiastic fanbases on the edge of their seats once Game 1 kicks off at Dodger Stadium on Friday.
How to witness and the full schedule
Every contest of this best-of-seven series will be aired on Fox in the US, starting at 8:08 p.m. ET for each game.
The schedule is as follows:
Game 1: Friday, October 25 – New York Yankees at Los Angeles Dodgers from Dodger Stadium, 8:08 p.m. ET
Game 2: Saturday, October 26 – New York Yankees at Los Angeles Dodgers from Dodger Stadium, 8:08 p.m. ET
Game 3: Monday, October 28 – Los Angeles Dodgers at New York Yankees from Yankee Stadium, 8:08 p.m. ET
Game 4: Tuesday, October 29 – Los Angeles Dodgers at New York Yankees from Yankee Stadium, 8:08 p.m. ET
Game 5*: Wednesday, October 30 – Los Angeles Dodgers at New York Yankees from Yankee Stadium, 8:08 p.m. ET
Game 6*: Friday, November 1 – New York Yankees at Los Angeles Dodgers from Dodger Stadium, 8:08 p.m. ET
Game 7*: Saturday, November 2 – New York Yankees at Los Angeles Dodgers from Dodger Stadium, 8:08 p.m. ET
*if necessary
An epic title showdown
As per Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, the Los Angeles-New York title battle is exactly what viewers anticipated.
“I think the whole world was hoping or anticipating this potential matchup, this clash,” Roberts said Sunday night after securing a berth in the Fall Classic for Los Angeles.
“It’s gonna be fantastic.”
These two clubs will come face-to-face in October for the first time in 43 years.
However, these two legendary clubs share a rich postseason history. No two teams have faced off against each other in the World Series more than these two. Come Friday, it will be the 12th time the Pinstripes and Boys in Blue engage in MLB’s grand finale event.
Their first bout was in 1941, with the Yankees outmatching the Brooklyn Dodgers 4-1 in the series.
Their last encounter in a World Series occurred in 1981, when LA claimed four consecutive victories to win the series 4-2, bringing their seventh championship home.
That same series, late, great Fernando Valenzuela threw a complete game in a Dodgers 5-4 triumph over the Yanks in Game 3.
MLB plans to honor Valenzuela during a World Series game in LA this week, paying tribute to the pitching prodigy who died Tuesday.
The Yankees boast an impressive World Series record against the Dodgers, with eight championship titles to LA’s three.
The pressure for success is on the Yankees going into the Series, considering their massive payroll – the second-largest in MLB in 2024, according to Spotrac – and extensive global following. However, Yankees fans still yearn for a victory since 2009, a painfully long drought for the team’s loyal supporters.
The Yanks triumphed in 2009, defeating the Philadelphia Phillies four games to two, securing New York’s 27th World Series championship.
Conversely, the Dodgers will make their first appearance in the Fall Classic since 2020 on Friday. Los Angeles won that year, vanquishing the Tampa Bay Rays 4-2.
Interestingly, the Yankees and Dodgers have a 21-21 victory record against each other in the postseason since the 1953 World Series. Despite their contrasting histories in title wins against each other, the two storied clubs have split the last six Fall Classics they’ve contested.
The two teams met three times in interleague play during the previous regular season, with the Dodgers emerging victorious twice.
The unique charm of this particular World Series lies in the opportunity to witness the two greatest players in the game battling it out on the sport’s grandest stage.
Judge and Ohtani are all but guaranteed to win their respective league’s most prestigious individual award.
Both athletes have previously claimed the Most Valuable Player title, with Ohtani earning the honor twice with the LA Angels (2021 and 2023), while Judge took home the MVP award in 2022.
With Judge leading the league with 58 home runs during the regular season and Ohtani closely trailing with 54, this will be their first World Series encounter.
When asked Tuesday about his admiration for Ohtani, the Yankees captain chuckled, “Besides the obvious? I believe everything is apparent – he hits for average, hits for power, the speed, what he achieved this year with the 50 stolen bases,” he said.
"That topic was discussed plenty, but I believe it didn't get the attention it deserved.
"He's a marvelous athlete, undoubtedly the top performer in the game, and what a fantastic representative he is for sports.
As for his feelings about taking part in the World Series, Judge reflected on his past.
"That's where the real excitement begins," he expressed before his first Fall Classic.
"For years as a kid, watching the Yankees play in the World Series, winning the World Series, feeling that thrill, the way the city comes alive is truly unique. I can't wait to experience that same excitement with this team."
Following their victory over the New York Mets in the NL Championship Series, Ohtani was inquired about his anticipation for his first World Series.
"This is a place I've longed to play in all my life, and to finally make it here and be a part of it... I hope to win," he said in Japanese through his translator.
When asked about LA's next opponent and the challenge at hand, Ohtani responded, "We have two exceptional teams going head to head. Judge is an exceptional player, but so is (Juan) Soto and many other outstanding players on the Yankees team.
"It will require all of our efforts to emerge victorious in the series."
The storybook history and star players are almost unbelievable – and so are the ticket prices.
The desire to witness this series in person is driving ticket prices to unparalleled highs.
As of Wednesday morning, the lowest price for a pair of Game 1 tickets in the right field stands at Dodger Stadium on StubHub, the ticket resale company, will cost you $2,328, including fees.
Going solo?
The least expensive price to see these superstars up close is $1,164 on StubHub.
StubHub projects that demand for this World Series will surpass their best-selling World Series ever."
Fans are eagerly awaiting the start of the World Series, with Game 1 scheduled at Dodger Stadium on October 25. This highly anticipated matchup between the Dodgers and Yankees promises to be a thrilling sporting event.
The excitement surrounding this series is not just about the sport itself, but also about witnessing two of the best players in the game, Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge, both vying for individual awards and battling it out on the grandest stage.
