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OAKLAND, Calif. – The Los Angeles Dodgers franchise has existed in various forms since 1884. The Yankees have roots dating back to 1903. They are part of the most prestigious and successful teams in the history of sport after they have been in business. be reunited in the World Series 11 times.
However, since interleague play was only introduced in baseball in 1997, the Yankees and Dodgers only played in 13 regular season games in more than a century of coexistence. The most recent season was a three-game series in 2016 when the Dodgers were on the verge of winning another Western National League title and the Yankees were heading for a fourth-place finish in the East American League.
The circumstances will be very different in the series of three games of this weekend which will begin Friday in Los Angeles: the Yankees and Dodgers have the two best records in baseball, and the clash could be a foretaste of the World Series . In a day-to-day sport, such as baseball, in which coaches and players preach while balancing to cope with the rigors of the marathon season, this match also deserved the fanfare.
"This is something we all look forward to," said Yankees manager Aaron Boone this week before his team is swept aside by Oakland Athletics and reaches his season record with four consecutive losses.
The last Yankees and Dodgers post-season fixture was the 1981 World Series, which followed a shortened season. The Dodgers have won in six games, thanks to key performances by third baseman Ron Cey, league player Pedro Guerrero and receiver Steve Yeager.
Leaders of the Major League Baseball and Television, who saw the ratings plummet at the World Series last year, salivate at a meeting Dodgers-Yankees this fall.
Some projections and bettors, however, have the Dodgers and Houston Astros, which are not far behind in terms of record, as the teams most likely to meet for the championship. It happened just two years ago and the Astros have won in seven games. The Dodgers returned to the World Series last year, but lost to the Boston Red Sox in five games. The Yankees have not participated in a world series since their 27th title in 2009.
Yankees right-back Aaron Judge, a native of northern California, said he had grown up hearing about games at his father's Dodger Stadium, and that the judge had visited once when he was in high school, doing a training session. The stands were empty.
"I'm delighted to see the fans go crazy," he said on Thursday. "They have a good young team like us. I have been looking forward to this game for a while. They are the best of N.L. and been at the World Series two years in a row and won their division. You want to play the best teams. "
This weekend, the Dodgers are one step ahead of the Yankees as the most complete team, the biggest disparity coming on the mound and in the coaching hall. No team can compete with the injured Yankees this season: 28 players have been added to the list of injured, including 16 who have remained there today.
Entering Thursday, the Dodgers ranked first in the leagues for the average of their points earned (3.33) and fourth for points scored (5.55 per game). The Yankees had a slightly better offense (5.88 points per game, the best figure in baseball), but a much less good pitching stick (4.52 E.R., ranked 16th).
The Dodgers' top-ranked players are either local talents or players who have blossomed after being acquired: the championship player Cody Bellinger, who is a leading candidate in the race for the most valuable player's prize. the National League; but also the field player Max Muncy, the third baseman Justin Turner, the field player Alex Verdugo and the striker Corey Seager.
The Yankees have suffered many injuries in part because of clever maneuvers to acquire Field player D.J. LeMahieu, Private Mike Tauchman, Third baseman Gio Urshela and Throw-throwers Zack Britton and Adam Ottavino. They have survived the loss of Luis Severino, who hopes to make his debut in next season next month after several injuries, and to the difficulties of JA Happ, CC Sabathia and others mainly because the offensive and the pen carried the team.
The most blatant weakness of the Yankees, however, remains their starting rotation, ranked 19th in baseball with an average of 4.85 EC. entering Thursday's game in Oakland. James Paxton, Domingo German and Sabathia are in the running to face the Dodgers.
By far, the Dodgers (2.94 E.R.A.) have the best rotation in baseball, led by three stars: Hyun-Jin Ryu, whose player 1.94 E.R.A. is the lowest in the major leagues; Clayton Kershaw, three-time Cy Young Award recipient; and right-handed Walker Buehler, 25 years old. The Dodgers pen, which has an E.R.A. comparable The Yankees' relief corps occupy lower positions in several leading indicators, and their close friend, Kenley Jansen, has had a lot of fun in recent years.
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