Who are You Rooting for in the World Series?

MLB’s annual Fall Classic kicks off this week, and fans of the knocked-out and non-participant teams have a dilemma about who to root for: two of the most storied franchises in the sport are facing off, and they both have been out-spending all our poverty teams for decades. In 2024, the Yankees ranked 2nd in MLB in payroll, with the Dodgers a not-so-distant 5th. The entirety of the AL Central spent about $592,606,576 on payroll this year; the Yankees and Dodgers spent a combined $550,444,724. So, who’s the lesser of two evils?

Team History New York Yankees History

The Evil Empire is the last AL Team standing for a whopping FOURTY-FIRST time in their 121-year existence. There has been more Fall Classics featuring the Yankees than Presidential Elections since 1903. They’ve won a record 27 rings- the second-place team has only 11. They have been in a bit of a “drought” lately, as they last reached the series in 2009, but I don’t think anybody feels too bad for them.

Los Angeles Dodgers History

On the west coast, representing the NL, the Dodgers are playing in their twenty-second World Series. Nine of their appearances occurred while they were still based in Brooklyn, and they’ve collected 7 rings in that time. Previously, they’ve squared off with the Yankees in the Fall Classic eleven times, and lost eight of those matchups. The Dodgers have been the more successful franchise as of late, as this is their fourth appearance since 2017. They last won during the Covid-shortened 2020 season, and lost in 2017 and 2018.

History with the Twins

The Twins’ struggles with the Yankees are all well-documented and fresh in our minds, as the Evil Empire has eliminated the Twins from the playoffs five times since 2003- going 16-2 overall against our hometown team in those series.

On the other hand, the Dodgers, being in the NL, have only squared off against the Twins one time in the playoffs- the 1965 World Series. As we know, the Killebrew-era Twins lost that series in seven games as Sandy Koufax pitched a gem in the deciding contest.

Twins Connections

There are very few ex-Twins on the star-studded rosters for the Yankees and Dodgers- which means they haven’t poached any of Minnesota’s stars lately, but then again, the Twins haven’t had many stars to poach.

New York’s promising young starting pitcher Luis Gil was sent over as a prospect in the trade for the immortal Jake Cave. Yankee reliever Ian Hamilton pitched 2.2 innings out of the Twins’ ‘pen in 2022. Current and former Twin Michael Tonkin pitched 56.0 innings for the Yankees earlier this season. He’s also Jason Kubel’s brother-in-law, which I felt the need to mention. Louie Varland’s brother Gus, a Minnesotan himself, pitched 6.0 innings for the Dodgers this year, but was waived and scooped up by the White Sox (oof) Brusdar Graterol, former Twins flamethrower of the Kenta Maeda trade, had an injury-riddled season for the Dodgers but may make the World Series roster, per rumors. Who Ya Got? Poll Which team are you rooting for in the World Series?