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If you’re asking who won Yankees or Dodgers, you’re likely looking for the fallout of the 2024 World Series. It’s over. The Los Angeles Dodgers are the champions. They took the trophy home after a chaotic, error-prone, and high-octane five-game series that left Bronx fans staring into the abyss.
It wasn't just a win. It was a statement.
The Dodgers clinched it in Game 5 at Yankee Stadium. They won the series 4-1. While the scoreboard says it was a gentleman's sweep, anyone who watched knows it felt much more volatile than that. The Yankees had a massive 5-0 lead in that final game. They blew it. It was a defensive meltdown for the ages.
The Chaos of Game 5: How the Dodgers Stole the Crown
Baseball is a game of inches, but in the clinching game of the 2024 World Series, it was a game of dropped balls and missed covers.
The Yankees were cruising. Gerrit Cole was dealing. Aaron Judge had finally woken up with a massive home run. Jazz Chisholm Jr. followed suit. The stadium was shaking. It felt like the series was headed back to Los Angeles for a Game 6. Then came the fifth inning. Honestly, it was one of the most painful half-innings in the history of the pinstripes.
An error by Judge in center field—his first of the season, of all times—started the rot. Then Anthony Volpe missed a throw. Then Gerrit Cole failed to cover first base on a routine grounder by Mookie Betts. You can't give a team like the Dodgers three extra outs in an inning. They will bury you.
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Freddie Freeman, who played like a man possessed despite a bungled ankle, drove in runs. Teoscar Hernández doubled. Just like that, five runs were on the board. All unearned. The Yankees technically fought back to take a 6-5 lead, but the momentum had shifted. The Dodgers eventually took the lead back on sacrifice flies in the eighth, and Walker Buehler—coming out of the bullpen on short rest—slammed the door shut in the ninth.
Freddie Freeman and the Most Dominant MVP Run in Years
We have to talk about Freddie Freeman. People were worried about his health coming into this. He could barely walk during the NLCS. But the guy turned into a machine the second he stepped onto the grass in the Bronx and LA.
He set a record by hitting a home run in six consecutive World Series games (counting back to his time with the Braves). His walk-off grand slam in Game 1 was the "Kirk Gibson moment" of this generation. It fundamentally broke the Yankees' spirit early on. When you look at who won Yankees or Dodgers, the answer is "Freddie Freeman's bat."
He finished the series with 12 RBIs. That tied the all-time World Series record. He wasn't just hitting; he was demoralizing a pitching staff that had been solid all year.
Key Stats from the Series
The Dodgers' depth was just too much. Shohei Ohtani didn't even have a great series—he was dealing with a partially dislocated shoulder from a slide in Game 2—but it didn't matter. Mookie Betts stayed consistent. Max Muncy drew walks. Tommy Edman, the mid-season acquisition from the Cardinals, continued his postseason tear.
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On the flip side, the Yankees struggled with RISP (Runners in Scoring Position). Giancarlo Stanton kept them alive with his power, but the bottom of the order often went quiet when it mattered most.
Why the Yankees Lost (Beyond the Box Score)
It's easy to blame the errors. They were glaring. But the Dodgers' organizational philosophy seemed a step ahead. Dave Roberts used his bullpen like a chess master. Even when his starters didn't go deep, the "stable" of arms in the LA pen—Blake Treinen, Brusdar Graterol, Alex Vesia—shut things down.
The Yankees looked tight. They looked like a team carrying the weight of a 15-year championship drought.
Aaron Boone’s decision-making came under fire, specifically in Game 1 when he brought in Nestor Cortes—who hadn't pitched in weeks—to face Ohtani and Freeman. We know how that ended. The grand slam heard 'round the world.
What This Means for the Future of Both Franchises
The Dodgers are now a dynasty. Sorta. They won in 2020, but critics called that a "Mickey Mouse" ring because of the shortened COVID season. This 2024 title erases that narrative. They spent a billion dollars in the offseason on Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and it paid off immediately.
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For the Yankees, the offseason is about one name: Juan Soto.
Soto was incredible for them all year. But he’s a free agent. If the Yankees lose him, this World Series loss becomes an even bigger turning point. They have the money, but so do the Mets, and so do... well, the Dodgers.
Practical Takeaways for Baseball Fans
If you're following the aftermath of this rivalry, here is what you should be watching:
- The Free Agency Frenzy: Keep an eye on where Juan Soto lands. If he stays in New York, the Yankees remain favorites for 2025. If he leaves, they need a total identity shift.
- Injury Reports: Watch the recovery of Shohei Ohtani’s labrum. He’s expected to return to pitching in 2025, which makes the Dodgers even scarier.
- Defensive Fundamentals: Expect the Yankees to spend a massive amount of time in Spring Training on "PFP" (Pitchers Fielding Practice) and basic cutoffs. That fifth inning in Game 5 will be used as a "what not to do" video for every Little League team in America.
- Rule Changes: The pitch clock and larger bases continued to make the game faster. The Dodgers utilized speed and pressure better than almost anyone.
The Dodgers won the 2024 World Series because they were more disciplined. They didn't beat themselves. The Yankees, unfortunately, did. While the rivalry remains the biggest in sports, the trophy is currently sitting in Chavez Ravine, and the Yankees are left wondering "what if."
Next season's schedule is already out. The quest to unseat the Dodgers starts in April. Whether the Yankees can mentally recover from that Game 5 collapse is the biggest storyline in the American League.