Michael O’Grady | sports editor |

The end of October is here, and the fight card is set for the 120th edition of the World Series. For the right to raise the Commissioner’s Trophy, it will be the New York Yankees versus the Los Angeles Dodgers.

At this point in time, the Yankees and Dodgers are thought to be the most wealthy and successful teams of their respective leagues. According to FanGraphs, Los Angeles has the second-highest payroll in baseball at $334 million, New York is right behind at third with $313 million.

Not only are the Yankees and Dodgers currently the marquee big-market franchises of baseball, they have a long history with each other. This will be their 12th World Series meeting, and fifth since the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles in 1958. But despite the preconceived notion that these two teams are the favorites year after year, they haven’t met in the Fall Classic since 1981.

Baseball fans who have grown tired of the two teams’ success are wondering if this is good for the sport. The reality is, it’s hard to get to the World Series, and even harder to win it. The Yankees have been knocking on the door of the World Series ever since their last championship in 2009, yet kept getting denied access in the ALCS by the likes of Texas, Detroit and Houston. The Dodgers have now won four NL championships in the last eight years, but they only have one World Series ring to show for it.

Maybe the “beasts” of their leagues have been underachievers, but there’s a certain element of randomness to the baseball postseason that shows that despite the pedigree and payrolls of the two teams who are competing for the championship, it’s not like this every season.

Just last season, Texas and Arizona both made the playoffs and were within two games of missing entirely. The Rangers upset Tampa Bay, Baltimore and rival Houston to win the AL; the Diamondbacks beat Milwaukee before shocking the Dodgers in the NLDS and Philadelphia in the NLCS. The magic of baseball will always keep the door open for outcomes like this. A few pitchers at the top of their game in October and some timely hitting, or vice versa, could be all it takes to win a World Series one year. Should it be counted on? Absolutely not, which is why well-oiled machines like the Yankees and Dodgers exist. But those machines powered by payrolls can sputter easily in the span of a five, or seven-game series.

Regardless, luck was with the Yankees and Dodgers this year, and neutral fans shouldn’t refuse to watch based on their disdain toward these teams, because the star power is incredible.

The Yankees have Aaron Judge, who is a shoo-in for his second AL MVP with a batting average of .322 and an OPS of 1.159. There is a serious argument to be made that he is the best all-around Yankee since Mickey Mantle, which is astounding in today’s game. Alongside him is Juan Soto, a 26-year-old superstar and impending free agent who has hitting down to a science. Soto has previously won a championship with the Nationals in 2019, but a trade to the Padres in 2022 led to a middling tenure and the Yankees paid San Diego a premium for him for the last year of his rookie contract, which has worked out magnificently.

Joining Judge and Soto are ALCS MVP Giancarlo Stanton, an incredibly dangerous threat when hot, such as right now, and trade deadline acquisition Jazz Chisholm Jr. is playing like a man recently freed from prison, or in other words, the Marlins.

On the other side of the country, the Dodgers boast the closest thing in baseball to a superteam. Shohei Ohtani is a real-life superhero, and though he’s been unable to pitch this season, he’s been the player the Dodgers paid $700 million for after his 54 home run, 59 stolen base performance that has locked up his third MVP award. Mookie Betts bats behind him in the order, and he would be far and away the best hitter on 28 other teams, not to mention his defensive versatility. Freddie Freeman is dealing with a bad ankle, but he’d still bat .275 if he had an amputated leg.

If Teoscar Hernández finds his groove, he’s a better home run hitter than Stanton. Max Muncy has the best eye in baseball. Even Tommy Edman, NLCS MVP, came out of nowhere after a trade from St. Louis and is now hitting cleanup. This lineup has no holes.

The Series will come down to pitching. If New York were to win, it would need to win four games against the Dodger lineup, which is an incredibly tall task. Outscoring Los Angeles in offensive barnburners is not realistic nor sustainable, so the pitching consisting of Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil will need to keep the Dodgers contained.

The Dodger makeshift pitching staff of Jack Flaherty, Walker Buehler and Yoshinobu Yamamoto has been much better than anyone expected with all the injuries to the rotation, but the Dodgers will hope their good stretches continue and that their bullpen games go according to plan. They are the favorites, but as aforementioned, that has meant nothing in the past.

Before first pitch is thrown at Dodger Stadium on Friday night, tune in and enjoy this World Series, no matter how you feel about the Yankees and Dodgers. These are two great baseball teams with great players, and it deserves to be seen by baseball fans everywhere, just like every other World Series. It just so happens that the Yankees and Dodgers made it through the wall this year, it’s not indicative of a baseball apocalypse. Baseball is a funny game, and money and history can’t guarantee success.

Mike’s Prediction: Dodgers in 6, World Series MVP: Max Muncy