The 2024 World Series begins this week with the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers battling for the title. Meeting for the 12th time in the Fall Classic, both teams bring star power and rich club history which are sure to make this a series to watch.
Let’s take a look back at how each team got to this point and see what is at stake in the final games of the 2024 MLB season.
American League Champion Yankees
The New York Yankees are making their first trip to the World Series since 2009 after defeating the Cleveland Guardians. Yankees outfielder Juan Soto delivered the final blow in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series with a go-ahead three-run homer in the 10th inning. Teammate Giancarlo Stanton took home ALCS MVP honors with four homers, five runs and seven RBIs.
The Yankees started the postseason as the top seed and earned a first-round bye. The Bombers came out swinging, averaging 4.77 runs per game over the next two series. They defeated the Kansas City Royals in the American League Divisional Series 3-1 and took the ALCS 4-1. They enter this series as an underdog for the first time in the postseason which means they will travel to Los Angeles for two games before playing in front of their home crowd again.
National League Champion Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers have much more recent experience at the World Series having competed four times since 2017. This group entered the postseason as the No. 1 seed in the National League also earning a first-round bye. The Dodgers had a more difficult road to the finals needing all five games to defeat the San Diego Padres and six to pass the New York Mets. Their last win against the Mets in Game 6 was decisive though as they prevented a Subway Series with a 10-5 rout. NLCS MVP Tommy Edman drove in four of those runs.
This will be the 22nd World Series appearance for the Dodgers who have been a force on defense with four postseason shutouts so far. That is a huge credit to their bullpen which has only allowed three earned runs in 32 innings helping the Dodgers to record the fourth-highest run differential in a postseason series. Look to other powerful hitters like Mookie Betts, Max Muncy and Will Smith to knock in critical runs.
The MVP Race
The winner of the series will also likely determine the 2024 MVPs. Three frontrunners are competing in the series with outfielders Aaron Judge and Juan Soto of the Yankees going for the AL title and designated hitter Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers going for the NL crown. Judge, who was AL MVP in 2022, led the league this season with 58 homers, 144 RBI and an OPS+ of 223. The Yankees traded for Soto in the offseason and he produced a .288/.419/.569 slash with 41 homers and an AL-high 128 runs. Ohtani sustained a torn UCL and could not pitch this season but did not let that slow him down offensively. He became the first player in MLB history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases, finishing with 54 and 59, respectively. He led all MLB players with 411 total bases.
Other Contenders:
- AL – SS Gunnar Henderson, Baltimore Orioles
- AL – SS Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals
- NL – 1B Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies
- NL – DH Marcell Ozuna, Atlanta Braves
- NL – SS Francisco Lindor, New York Mets
World Series Schedule
Friday, Oct. 25
Game 1: New York at Los Angeles
Saturday, Oct. 26
Game 2: New York at Los Angeles
Monday, Oct. 28
Game 3: Los Angeles at New York
Tuesday, Oct. 29
Game 4: Los Angeles at New York
Wednesday, Oct. 30
Game 5*: Los Angeles at New York
Friday, Nov. 1
Game 6*: New York at Los Angeles
Saturday, Nov. 2
Game 7*: New York at Los Angeles
(* if necessary)
Buy 2024 World Series Tickets
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