Yankees-Red Sox Ratings Show Value Of Big Name MLB Matchups

Major League Baseball made rule changes in order to speed up the pace of play. They expanded the postseason to give more teams a chance at playoff baseball. They even attempted to increase offense with shift bans and larger bases.

All of it has generally worked; attendance is up, pace of play is better, and game times are down. But as television ratings continue to show, there's just no substitution for having the biggest market teams in the national spotlight. And it's a lesson the league could and should learn for October baseball.

When the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees played at Yankee Stadium in June, ratings on Fox were gigantic. By several metrics, it was the most watched regular season baseball game in several years. 

READ: Dodgers, Yankees Ratings Show How MLB's Postseason Format Hurts Itself

On Sunday, those same Yankees and the Boston Red Sox played on Sunday Night Baseball, and once again, fans tuned in in huge numbers. The largest audience for that time window in two and a half years, as a matter of fact.

If you look closely, there are some very obvious lessons to learn from these two television metrics.

May 22, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA;  New York Yankees right fielder Juan Soto (22) celebrates with center fielder Aaron Judge (99) after hitting his second home run of the game in the sixth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

What do the Yankees, Red Sox and Dodgers have in common? They're three of the biggest "name" teams in Major League Baseball.

For a league struggling to maintain national relevance compared to the NFL, these ratings are exactly the trajectory they want to see. There's just one problem; the postseason format the