When is Yankees vs. Dodgers World Series Game 1? Date, time and statements

The top two teams from the National League and the American League in 2024. The two expected MVPs. The two franchises with the longest World Series history against each other. The two largest cities in the country.

This is an iconic fall classic soon to be played between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees. When the World Series begins Friday night with Game 1 at Dodger Stadium, it will be a clash of coastal giants who have gathered luminaries in anticipation of such a moment.

“That’s kind of what people wanted,” Dodgers superstar Mookie Betts said after LA beat the Mets in the NL Championship Series. “That's what we all want. It's fun. A battle between two good teams, lots of long flights across the country, but that’s what makes it fun.”

The basics – an extensive postseason history, a large and broad fan base and those classic, clean uniforms – make this a top matchup. The Dodgers, in their fourth World Series appearance in the last eight seasons, are in the hunt for the franchise's eighth title, for the first time since 2020 and for the first time in a full season since 1988. The Yankees, for the first time since their Having been promoted to this level last season after winning it all in 2009, they are looking to add to their unprecedented total of 27 championships.

There's Shohei Ohtani, who is coming off the first 50-homer, 50-steal season in MLB history, and Aaron Judge, who has the best OPS+ mark (223) by a right-handed hitter in modern AL/NL history has.

Both have the league's MVP under their belts (third for Ohtani, second for Judge), but now we get to watch the two biggest names in baseball compete in their first World Series.

“That’s what it’s all about,” Judge said. “That’s what you burn for all season long – for moments like this. It’s special.”

Speaking of special, Juan Soto, a fresh-faced home run in the Yanks' ALCS clincher, is chasing his second ring — he won it with the Nationals in 2019 — ahead of what appears to be a record-breaking victory. free yourself from the ability to act.

Betts is making his way (1.020 OPS this postseason) to his third World Series after winning it all with the Red Sox in 2018 and the Dodgers in 2020. Freddie Freeman is trying to secure his second title (after winning with the Braves in 2021) on a badly injured ankle.

This will be the 12th affair between the Dodgers and Yankees, dating back to 1941, but the first since 1981. Given the investment these two teams put into their rosters and their postseason pedigree – in the Wild Card era (since 1995), the Yankees have made the playoffs 25 times and the Dodgers 18 times – it was only a matter of time before they simultaneously overcame the unpredictability of October and found each other in the fall.

They found each other in a year in which they each had the best record and run differential in their league. This is only the third time this century (also the Red Sox and Cardinals meeting in 2013 and the Dodgers and Rays meeting in 2020) and the second in a full season that the No. 1 seeds have met in the Fall Classic meet each other.

So here's to a World Series that's as big as it can be.

When does the game take place and how can I watch it?
Game 1 of the World Series is currently being played at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. All World Series games begin at the same time and are televised on FOX.

All games are available in the US on MLB.TV (requires authentication with a participating pay-TV provider). Live games are also available in select countries outside the US. Detailed information can be found here.

Who are the starting pitchers?
Yankees: RHP Gerrit Cole (8-5, 3.41 ERA in regular season)
Cole will start in the World Series for the third time in his career after taking the ball twice for the Astros in 2019, winning once and losing once. Reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Cole's season debut was postponed until June 19 due to nerve irritation in his pitching elbow, and he made just 17 starts during the regular season. Cole is 1-0 with a 3.31 ERA in three starts this postseason. His best result came against the Royals in ALDS Game 4, when he went seven innings of one-run ball.

Dodgers: RHP Jack Flaherty (13-7, 3.17 ERA in regular season)
If they had had to play Game 7 in the NL Championship Series, the Dodgers would have chosen Walker Buehler. But with four days off before Game 1 of the World Series, the Dodgers had options and on Tuesday they faced Flaherty. The right-hander has made three starts so far this postseason with a 7.04 ERA and a .254 batting average. He struggled in both his NLDS start against the Padres and his final NLCS start against the Mets, in which he allowed eight earned runs and walked four over three innings, but those produced a brilliant scoreless start of seven innings with two allowed Hits in the game a 1 in the NLCS. A trade deadline pickup for the Dodgers, Flaherty, 29, was born in Burbank and attended high school at Harvard Westlake in Los Angeles.

What are the starting lineups?
Yankees: Since the Dodgers started a right-handed pitcher, the Yankees started their crucial Game 5 against Cleveland with the same lineup. Although manager Aaron Boone is uncomfortable with placing four of five left-handers at the bottom of the rankings, Volpe is the only right-hander ranked seventh.

Dodgers: With the Yankees starting a right-hander in Game 1, Lux is in the starting lineup for the first time since NLCS Game 3. Freeman missed Game 6 of the NLCS with his badly sprained ankle, but is back in the three-hole Game 1.

How will the bullpens line up after the starter?
Yankees: The Yankees have trained their bullpen hard, earning seven wins in their first nine postseason games, but they will benefit from the break before the World Series. Clay Holmes and Luke Weaver appeared in eight of those nine games. Weaver — the de facto closer — leads all Yankees relievers with 10 1/3 innings. Boone has aggressively asked Weaver for up to six outs in the postseason, which will likely continue in the World Series. Tim Hill made seven appearances and Tommy Kahnle made six. Mark Leiter Jr. made two crucial appearances near the end of the ALCS after being brought in as an injured replacement for Ian Hamilton.

Dodgers: The Dodgers have one of the best bullpens in sports – and the biggest key to this postseason run – and will continue to use their bullpen aggressively. Michael Kopech and Blake Treinen will be the team's top backups, while veterans Daniel Hudson and Ryan Brasier provide depth. Evan Phillips was left off the roster due to a right arm injury sustained in Game 6 against the Mets. Alex Vesia and Anthony Banda give the Dodgers two strong left-handed options.

Any notable injuries?
Yankees: As previously mentioned, Rizzo is suffering from two broken fingers on his right hand. For Rizzo, it's a pain tolerance issue since the fractures don't heal until the offseason. Left-handed pitcher Nestor Cortes (left elbow flexor muscle strain) faced batters in simulated action and was named to the World Series roster. Infielder DJ LeMahieu (right hip impingement) has continued to hit and field with the club just in case he is needed.

Dodgers: Freeman battled a severe right ankle sprain throughout the postseason. The star first baseman missed three games, including NLCS Game 6 against the Mets. But after a few days off before Game 1, he was back in the squad. Reliever Brusdar Graterol was added to the roster after missing the first two rounds. Joe Kelly, however, was not in the squad.

Who's hot and who's not?
Yankees: Stanton returns to Los Angeles wielding one of the Bronx Bombers' hottest bats after earning ALCS MVP honors after hitting four home runs with seven RBIs in five games against Cleveland. Overall this postseason, Stanton has 10 hits in 34 at-bats (.294), with five home runs and 11 RBIs. Soto got off to a great start in ALCS Game 5 and has a .333/.439/.667 slash line this postseason. Torres (.400 OBP) and Volpe (.459 OBP) were consistent threats. Judge started seeing results in the ALCS but is still hitting .161 this postseason. Chisholm (.147 BA) and Wells (.091 BA) were also cold.

Dodgers: Edman emerged as the NLCS MVP winner and had one of his best seasons with 11 RBIs. Ohtani also set a Dodgers record in the NLCS, reaching base safely 17 times against the Mets. After the Dodgers drew 41 walks in the six-game NLCS, it's hard to find a player who isn't at his best offensively.

Is there anything else fans would like to know?
• The Yankees have won eight of the last 11 World Series meetings between the clubs (1941, 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953, 1956, 1977, 1978). The Dodgers won three times (1955, 1963, 1981).

• The Dodgers and Yankees previewed the World Series at Yankee Stadium June 7-9, with Los Angeles winning two of the three games. Teoscar Hernández hit a two-run double in the 11th inning of the first game, a 2-1 Dodgers win, and hit two home runs in an 11-3 loss the next night. The Yanks saved the final with a 6-4 win, powered by Trent Grisham's three-run home run off Tyler Glasnow.