Even 8-year-old Charlie Freeman is thrilled about the Dodgers-Yankees World Series.
“He’s at Universal (Studios) right now with a couple of his friends, but he said, ‘Daddy, I can’t wait for the World Series to start tomorrow,’” said Los Angeles first baseman Freddie Freeman at the last practice before Friday’s game. “He’s on YouTube watching all the videos about Yankees-Dodgers. So you’re starting to get a sense of how big this could be.”
This will be the 12th matchup between the Dodgers and Yankees and the first in 43 years. The rivalry goes back to 1941 when the Dodgers were in Brooklyn and Joe DiMaggio’s Yankees were chasing their fifth title in six years.
“You can be the best player. You can do whatever you want,” said Yankees star Juan Soto, “but at the end of the day, people remember you because you won a World Series.”
The clash of Broadway and Hollywood has created one of the most star-studded Series in decades, if not ever. The League Championship Series had the highest U.S. TV ratings since 2017, and viewership for the Dodgers has surged from Japan, thanks to interest in Shohei Ohtani.
“You could easily argue that on a global scale, the Yankees and the Dodgers are the most followed, the most supported, the most visible,” said Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts.
This World Series is expected to feature five MVPs: the Dodgers’ Ohtani, Freeman, and Mookie Betts, along with the Yankees’ Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. There hasn’t been a Fall Classic with even four MVPs since 1971.
Ohtani and Judge are expected to be the MVPs this year, marking the first World Series to feature both since San Francisco’s Buster Posey and Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera in 2012. This will also be the first Series with two players who have hit 50 home runs, with Judge hitting 58 and Ohtani hitting 54.
In an era of expanded playoffs, this is only the fifth World Series since the Wild Card Era began in 1995 that involves the teams with the best records in each league.
“I’m sure I’m going to feel how special it is,” Ohtani said through an interpreter.
Players practiced in 85-degree weather as the sun shone on Dodger Stadium’s blue, yellow, light orange, and sea foam green seats. Freeman, who has a hurt ankle, is determined to be in the lineup for the first game.
While the Dodgers are aiming for their eighth title and second in five years, the Yankees are making their first World Series appearance since they won their 27th title in 2009.
“This is where the real fun starts,” Judge said.
Judge understands that winning a title is important to be recognized among the Yankees’ legends.
“They definitely got a different aura walking around here when you got a couple of rings on your fingers,” he said. “I think that’s the biggest thing, is that you see that they’re battle-tested. They’ve been through the grind. They’ve been through the ups and downs and they came out on top.”
