By Angel Rivera 
Finally, the World Series has come back to…New York! And Los Angeles too, of course. Just
borrowing a page from Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s book, but this is a matchup long overdue.
David vs. Goliath, King Kong vs. Godzilla—whatever epic rivalry you can think of, it’s happening
now: the New York Yankees vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers.
For the 12th time in history, this box-office showdown promises to be one of the most exciting
series in the last decade. You can feel the electricity in the air. As a Yankees fan myself, I’ve
seen triumph after triumph, but now, the team has a chance to claim the greatest prize in all of
baseball. With their three-headed monster—Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, and Giancarlo
Stanton—this heavy-hitting lineup has powered the team to greatness this season. Judge,
arguably in the running for AL MVP, has had a remarkable year. Of course, the Yankees’
supporting cast has also played a pivotal role, and there’s a reason they finished as the top
team in the American League.
On the other side, the Dodgers have their own story to tell, highlighted by their blockbuster
offseason acquisition: Shohei Ohtani. The baseball phenom became the first player in history to
hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a season, all while being one of the best pitchers in the
game. And don’t forget his right-hand man, the rookie sensation Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Both
teams are stacked with so much talent that you could write about each player individually.
These two storied franchises have been going at it since 1941. Their last World Series clash
was in 1981, with the Dodgers taking the pennant. However, the Bronx Bombers still own the
historical head-to-head series, 8-3, asserting their dominance over that 40-year span. Now, in
2024, this matchup feels long overdue. As two of the biggest franchises in baseball,
fans—myself included—have been begging for this to happen. The Dodgers were on the verge
of facing the Yankees in 2017, but the Houston Astros eliminated New York in the ALCS after
seven games (don’t remind me). Since then, the Dodgers have been the only one of the two to
make the World Series, benefiting from their massive financial investment in building a stacked
roster. And that investment has paid off, as they’re back with a pennant this year. Meanwhile, for
the first time in a long time, the Yankees enter as underdogs. They haven’t reached the World
Series since 2009, but now they’re back, looking to silence the doubters.
At the center of this showdown are two of baseball’s biggest stars: Aaron Judge for New York
and Shohei Ohtani for Los Angeles, both desperately chasing that elusive championship ring.
Ohtani had never even tasted the playoffs before this year, so the lights will be as bright as
they’ve ever been for both stars. Judge, despite his regular-season success, has struggled this
postseason and hopes to turn it around in Game 1 on Friday. Giancarlo Stanton, however, has
been on fire, leading the team with five homers—an impressive feat considering the injuries he’s
battled. And let’s not forget Juan Soto, whose go-ahead three-run homer punched New York’s
ticket to the World Series.
For the Dodgers, their 1-2 punch of Ohtani and Mookie Betts has been consistent, while Freddie
Freeman has struggled to find his rhythm. Betts and Freeman already have championship rings,
so they know what it takes to win in high-stakes situations. Both teams have managed to ignite
sparks when needed, with players stepping up to cover for those in slumps. Ultimately, the
series will come down to which team has the deeper bullpen. With two offensive juggernauts
squaring off, pitching will be the key to victory.
So get ready, cancel all your plans—because this Friday marks the start of slugger cinema.
Joel Perez