It is the matchup that feels like destiny. Honestly, if you grew up a baseball fan, you've probably heard your grandpa or some old guy at the bar talk about the "good old days" in New York. They aren't just reminiscing. They're talking about a specific kind of magic that only happens when these two jerseys meet in October.
The Dodgers Yankees World Series history is the richest, messiest, and most iconic saga in American sports. It isn't just about trophies. It’s about a geographical divorce—the Dodgers leaving Brooklyn—and a cross-country grudge that has simmered for over a century. We are talking about 12 total meetings. That is more than any other two teams in MLB history.
Some people think it’s just about big markets. It isn't. It’s about the fact that every time they play, the stakes feel existential.
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The Subway Series years when Brooklyn was the heart of it all
Before they were the Los Angeles Dodgers, they were the "Bums." Brooklyn was a borough with a massive chip on its shoulder. The Yankees? They were the "Bronx Bombers," the corporate kings of the world who played in a stadium that Babe Ruth built.
Between 1941 and 1956, these two teams met seven times. It was a bloodbath for Brooklyn.
The 1941 World Series set the tone. It featured the infamous dropped third strike by Dodgers catcher Mickey Owen in Game 4. It was a nightmare. If he catches that ball, the Dodgers win and tie the series. Instead, the Yankees rallied, won the game, and eventually took the series. This was the start of the "Wait 'til next year" mantra that defined Brooklyn for a generation.
Then came 1947. This was the most important World Series in history, not just because of the Dodgers Yankees World Series history, but because it was Jackie Robinson’s first postseason. Jackie was electric. He stole bases, disrupted pitchers, and proved he belonged on the biggest stage. But the Yankees won anyway. They always seemed to win. They beat the Dodgers in '47, '49, '52, and '53.
It felt like a curse. Seriously.
1955: The year the Bums finally did it
If you talk to a Brooklyn native today, they can tell you exactly where they were in 1955. This was the breakthrough. Johnny Podres pitched a shutout in Game 7. Sandy Amoros made a legendary catch in left field to save the lead.
Brooklyn finally won.
The joy didn't last long, though. Don Larsen threw a perfect game against the Dodgers in the 1956 World Series just a year later. It remains the only perfect game in World Series history. One year later, the Dodgers packed their bags and moved to California. A lot of fans in Brooklyn never forgave them.
The Hollywood era and the 1970s fireworks
When the rivalry moved to the West Coast, the vibe changed. It wasn't about the subway anymore. It was about Broadway vs. Hollywood. The 1977 and 1978 World Series were brutal, high-scoring affairs that cemented Reggie Jackson as "Mr. October."
In '77, Reggie hit three home runs on three consecutive pitches from three different pitchers in the clinching Game 6. It was absurd. Even the Dodger fans—well, the few who hadn't left early to beat traffic—had to acknowledge the greatness. The Yankees took both of those series.
But 1981 was different. It was the year of "Fernandomania."
Fernando Valenzuela and the 1981 turnaround
The 1981 season was weird because of a mid-season strike, but the World Series was pure theater. The Dodgers fell behind 2-0. People thought it was over. Then, a 20-year-old rookie from Mexico named Fernando Valenzuela took the mound for Game 3.
He didn't have his best stuff. He walked a bunch of guys. He labored through 147 pitches. But he stayed in. He gritted it out for a complete game victory. That win flipped the momentum, and the Dodgers won four straight games to take the title. It was the first time they beat the Yankees as the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Why the Dodgers Yankees World Series history still feels different
Fast forward to 2024. After a 43-year drought of not seeing each other in the Fall Classic, they met again. This wasn't your grandfather’s baseball, but the ghosts were there.
You had Shohei Ohtani vs. Aaron Judge. It was the first time in history that two players who hit 50+ home runs in the regular season met in the World Series. The ratings were massive. It proved that despite all the changes in the game—the pitch clocks, the analytics, the shift—the Dodgers Yankees World Series history is the only thing that can truly stop the world.
Freddie Freeman’s walk-off grand slam in Game 1 of the 2024 series felt like a direct echo of Kirk Gibson in 1988, but it was also a nod to those 1950s battles. It reminded everyone that this matchup is built on late-inning heroics.
Comparing the titans: A breakdown of the numbers
If you look at the raw data, the Yankees still hold the upper hand in the overall count. Out of their 12 meetings:
- The Yankees have won 8 series.
- The Dodgers have won 4 series (1955, 1963, 1981, 2024).
The 1963 series is often overlooked, but it was a masterpiece. Sandy Koufax was basically a god. He struck out 15 Yankees in Game 1, which was a record at the time. The Dodgers swept them. A sweep! Against a Yankees team that had Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris. That series proved that elite pitching could shut down the Bronx Bombers' power.
Misconceptions about the rivalry
A lot of people think the Dodgers and Yankees hate each other the way the Red Sox and Yankees do. That isn't quite right. The Red Sox/Yankees rivalry is about proximity and division standings. It's a daily grind of animosity.
The Dodgers and Yankees? It’s more like a "Clash of the Titans." They only meet at the very top of the mountain. There is a weird level of mutual respect between the organizations because they both spend money, they both expect to win, and they both carry the weight of history.
Another misconception: that the Yankees have always dominated. While 8-4 in series wins sounds lopsided, many of those individual games were decided by a single run or a freak play. If Mickey Owen catches that ball in '41, or if the Dodgers don't trade away key players in the 50s, that record looks very different.
Lessons from the history books
If you’re a fan looking to understand the game better, studying these two teams is basically a masterclass in roster building and pressure management.
- Stars win series. From Babe Ruth and Jackie Robinson to Reggie Jackson and Shohei Ohtani, this matchup is always decided by the biggest names. You can't "Moneyball" your way past the Yankees or Dodgers in October; you need a superstar to do something legendary.
- The "New York" factor never dies. Even though the Dodgers have been in LA for nearly 70 years, the media coverage still treats this like a local New York feud. The shadows of Ebbets Field are long.
- Home field is a myth. In their 12 meetings, some of the most iconic moments happened for the visiting team. Larsen’s perfect game was at Yankee Stadium, but many of the Dodgers' biggest wins happened in the Bronx.
What to do next
If you want to truly appreciate this history, don't just read the stats. Go watch the footage.
- Watch the 1955 Game 7 highlights. See the look on the fans' faces in Brooklyn. It’s pure catharsis.
- Look up Fernando Valenzuela's 1981 Game 3. Pay attention to how many pitches he throws. You will never see a manager let a kid do that today.
- Study the box scores of the 2024 series. Look at the exit velocity of the Ohtani and Stanton hits. It shows how the power game has evolved since the days of Mickey Mantle.
The Dodgers Yankees World Series history is the definitive story of baseball in America. It covers the integration of the sport, the westward expansion of the country, the rise of the "super-team," and the enduring power of tradition.
The next time these two teams meet, don't just check the score. Look at the patches on the sleeves. You’re watching over a century of grudges playing out in real-time. It’s the closest thing sports has to a royal wedding, but with more dirt and a lot more yelling.