Dodgers and Yankees face off

After more than six months of baseball, there are only two months left. One of the most dramatic and unpredictable MLB postseasons in recent memory is about to reach a star-studded conclusion as the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers face off in the 2024 World Series. The two biggest cities of the country. Two of the winningest teams not only of this era, but in the history of the sport, rekindling a long and storied rivalry. Some of the biggest names in the game, from Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts to Aaron Judge and Juan Soto. This fall classic has it all, and here’s everything you need to know before Game 1 kicks off on Friday, October 25.

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The Yankees will represent the American League in the World Series for the 41st time, although this will be the team’s first appearance since winning its most recent title in 2009. The Dodgers, meanwhile, will represent the National League for the 20th time. LA last won it all in 2020, but it hasn’t captured the Commissioner’s Trophy in a full season since 1988 — in fact, the Dodgers hold the record for most World Series losses at 14, falling to the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox in 2017 and 2018, respectively.

The 2024 World Series begins on Friday, October 25 with Game 1 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. There will be days off for travel on Sunday, October 27 and – if the series includes more than five matches – on Thursday, October 31. Below you will find the full schedule, complete with dates, locations and start times.

*If necessary

Thanks to a better regular season record, the Dodgers will have home field advantage throughout the series. The format for the World Series is identical to the format for the ALCS and NLCS: the series will be a best-of-seven, with Los Angeles hosting Games 1 and 2, as well as Games 6 and 7 (if necessary). New York will host the middle three games at Yankee Stadium, with days off for travel after Games 2 and 5.

Home field advantage could play a real role in this series: the Dodgers were 52-29 at home compared to just 46-35 on the road, while the Yankees were actually better on the road (50-31) than at home. (44-37). That being said, New York has gone 3-1 at Yankee Stadium so far this postseason, while the Dodgers have gone 3-2 in their five home games.

Where to start? On the Dodgers side, we start with likely NL MVP Shohei Ohtani, who made it all the way to the World Series in his highly anticipated postseason debut. Ohtani won’t pitch in this series as he’s still rehabbing from last year’s elbow surgery, but he’s dangerous enough at the plate, hitting .400 through the last four games of the NLCS against the New York Mets. The top-tier trio of Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman have carried LA all season, although Freeman’s status is up in the air as the first baseman continues to battle an ankle injury. Names like Max Muncy, Will Smith, Teoscar Hernandez and NLCS MVP Tommy Edman loom as X-factors in this series.

For New York, the conversation starts with the big three of Judge, Soto and Giancarlo Stanton. Soto already has a ring at the 2019 Washington Nationals, but Judge and Stanton will make their first appearance in the Fall Classic. Stanton was great throughout October, winning ALCS MVP honors, while Judge struggled, and New York fans will certainly be eager to see if he can deliver in the biggest moments. Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon anchor New York’s rotation, with Cole particularly looking to take advantage of what could be his last best chance to win it all.

We know Gerrit Cole will start Game 1 for New York, but after that it’s all still a bit up in the air. Cole, Rodon, Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil are the four rotation options for the Yankees, although Cole could return after short rest to pitch Game 4 (and possibly Game 7).

For the Dodgers, Jack Flaherty, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Walker Buehler are the three starters still standing at this point, and all three will start in this series. The fourth starting slot will likely remain a bullpen game, with rookie Landon Knack as the bulk option after an opener. Here’s how things might fit together: