This year's World Series features the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees.
They rank second and third in payroll against the luxury tax and have historically been the dominant regular-season teams on each coast.
Before continuing, please check out our MLB World Series Page, which will help you prepare for the Fall Classic and provide odds for any bet you would like to make.
In 1981, the Yankees and Dodgers competed in their 11th World Series, with Los Angeles emerging as the victor. Despite the 43-year gap, both teams remain premier franchises in the sport.
Five former MVPs, Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman, will play in the upcoming World Series.
Juan Soto, one of the sport's top talents, and former Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole will also showcase their skills.
The series opens Friday at Dodger Stadium.
2024 World Series Odds
Let's examine why oddsmakers have favored the Dodgers over the Yankees in this matchup.
New York Yankees
The Yankees advanced to the World Series by clinching the AL East title and defeating the Kansas City Royals in the ALDS and the Cleveland Guardians in the ALCS.
It's been a while since the Bronx Bombers last won the World Series in 2009, and they hadn't even claimed a pennant until this year.
In the regular season, the Yankees struggled to find consistent offensive performance from players other than Aaron Judge or Juan Soto.
Giancarlo Stanton and Jazz Chisholm Jr. were the only everyday players with an OPS above .725, with Chisholm Jr. joining the team in the season's final two months.
Now, Soto has found his regular season form, Stanton is on fire, and both Anthony Volpe and Gleyber Torres are getting on base in ways they struggled with from April to September.
Next Stop: LA#RepBX pic.twitter.com/qccc2767jE
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 21, 2024
The Yankees' performance is promising, but there's also a possibility of regression. Stanton is known for his inconsistent form, swinging between extreme highs and lows.
When he's on fire, he's unstoppable, but when he's off his game, things can go south quickly. Similarly, Torres and Volpe had inconsistent seasons, leaning more towards a cold streak than a hot one.
The Yankees are underdogs in this series. You can bet the Yankees at +110 odds to win this series at Betonline.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers clinched the NL West, granting them a bye past the Wild Card Series. They emerged victorious over the San Diego Padres in the NLDS and the New York Mets in the NLCS.
This achievement represents the Dodgers' second pennant of the decade and their fourth since 2000. Their 2020 win during the pandemic-shortened season sets the stage for their pursuit of an eighth franchise title.
Notably, L.A. has not secured a World Series victory in a full season since 1988.
During the regular season, Los Angeles' bullpen performed well, ranking fourth in ERA, although it was nearly a full run behind the Guardians. However, the bullpen has been heavily relied upon in the postseason.
The Dodgers have played 11 games in October compared to the Yankees' nine, and they've heavily leaned on their relievers. While the Dodgers' pitchers will be rested from four off days, the bullpen has already seen plenty of work.
The Dodgers lack the necessary depth in their starting pitching rotation. Jack Flaherty, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Walker Buehler have all shown inconsistency in the postseason.
Bring on the #WorldSeries! pic.twitter.com/F4tJ9sb47R
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 21, 2024
Despite their ability to perform under pressure, Yamamoto and Buehler are at risk of being unable to pitch for more than five innings due to their recent injury histories.
Yamamoto's strict every-five-days routine limited his appearances in the NLCS, but he is expected to pitch twice in the World Series against the Yankees.
The best odds for the Dodgers to win the World Series are at Bovada at -125.
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2024 World Series Games Played
| 2024 MLB World Series Total Games Played |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Games | +575 | +575 | +575 |
| 5 Games | +265 | +265 | +265 |
| 6 Games | +195 | +195 | +195 |
| 7 Games | +195 | +195 | +195 |
The fact that the Yankees managed to average 5.8 runs per game against the tough Guardians pitching staff in chilly weather is a positive indicator.
While the Dodgers pose a tougher overall challenge than Cleveland, their pitching is where they are most susceptible. However, the Dodgers' offense outshines the Guardians' offense by a significant margin.
The Yankees can't risk bullpen collapses similar to those in Game 3 or Game 4 of the ALCS, as five runs for the Guardians could easily translate to 10 for the Dodgers.
There is no Yankees starting pitcher that should intimidate the Dodgers right now, especially with Max Muncy, Kiké Hernández, and even Tommy Edman hitting well.
The full 2024 #WorldSeries schedule for @Yankees vs. @Dodgers has been announced! pic.twitter.com/5juhutFOH7
— MLB (@MLB) October 21, 2024
This will be a very competitive World Series and one of the best bets you can make is the amount of games that will be played.
This prop doesn't even have you select a winner, just the amount of games in the series. It feels like a toss-up and you get the same odds if it's a 6 or 7 game series.
Betting on a 7-game series is +195 odds and is the best bet for this series between two MLB heavyweights.
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