Dodgers-Yankees gives baseball its ideal World Series matchup

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The Dodgers versus the Yankees in the World Series is a matchup of two historic franchises that have made the most World Series appearances in Major League Baseball history.

This is the 41st championship appearance for the New York Yankees and the 22nd for the Dodgers franchise. The two teams have faced each other in the World Series 11 times, with the Yankees holding an 8-3 advantage. 

The World Series is always big, but this may be the biggest World Series ever.  Both teams had the best record in their respective leagues. There are five former MVPs (the most ever) participating in this series, including Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge, who will likely be the National League and American League MVPs this year. 

This is the sixth time that the top home-run hitters in each league will be squaring off, but the first time that both had more than 50 homers during the regular season. 

This World Series is juicy: the two best teams, the two best players, the two most storied franchises, and the two biggest media markets. What more could baseball fans ask for?

While Ohtani and Judge will get most of the headlines ahead of Friday’s Game 1, there are plenty more interesting storylines in this series. Both clubs have players who have been postseason monsters this year, as well as in the past.

Dodgers outfielder Kiké Hernandez has 15 career playoff homers, while Yankees DH (and ALCS MVP) Giancarlo Stanton has 16 playoff homers. Dodgers shortstop Tommy Edman (the NLCS MVP) is on fire and proving to be one of the best trade-deadline acquisitions in years.

Yankees third baseman Jazz Chisholm was acquired from the Miami Marlins at the trade deadline. The Dodgers acquired shortstop Miguel Rojas last