Last fall, the Dodgers took down the Yankees in the World Series, winning their eighth championship in franchise history. Now, these two ancient rivals will meet once again in Los Angeles for a three-game affair. A duel between MVPs Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani is the main headline, but both teams are littered with star power.
The Dodgers enter Friday as favorites (-150) to win this series over the Yankees on DraftKings Sportsbook. Which side will come out on top during this weekend’s highly anticipated rematch?
New York Yankees
As is often the case, the Yankees haven’t had a clean bill of health this season. Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole suffered a season-ending elbow injury, while 2025 Rookie of the Year Luis Gil (lat) is still months away from returning. On offense, slugger Giancarlo Stanton (elbows) has yet to debut, while second baseman Jazz Chisholm (oblique) hasn’t played since April 29th.
In spite of their injuries, the Yankees have still managed to post a stellar record of 35-20. That’s 6.5 games better than the 29-27 Rays, giving New York the largest division lead in all of baseball. Leading the charge has been, you guessed it, Aaron Judge. The two-time MVP is off to a historic start, slashing .391/.488/.739 at the plate. In addition, the outfielder has driven in 18 home runs and 47 RBIs. Still, this isn’t a one-man lineup for the Bronx Bombers. Paul Goldschmidt (156 wRC+), Trent Grisham (149 wRC+) and Cody Bellinger (wRC+119) have all contributed to baseball’s second-highest scoring offense.
When it comes to pitching, New York has surrendered the fifth-fewest runs per game to opponents (3.49). That’s due in large part to prized offseason signing Max Fried. The former Braves hurler has recorded a 1.29 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 67 strikeouts over 70.0 innings of work. However, the Pinstripes have also gotten quality production out of Carlos Rodon (2.60 ERA) and Clarke Schmidt (3.95 ERA). To top it all off, the Yankees own baseball’s sixth-lowest bullpen ERA (3.25).
Los Angeles Dodgers
The defending champions had a busy offseason, signing star pitchers Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki. Despite both arms landing on the injured list, the Dodgers are still the team to beat. Los Angeles’ record of 34-22 is good enough for first in the National League West. However, LA have only gone 7-8 over their last 15 games.
On offense, the Dodgers remain a well-oiled machine. Reigning MVP Shohei Ohtani hasn’t missed a beat in 2025, blasting a league-leading 20 home runs. He’s joined by All-Stars Mookie Betts (111 wRC+), Freddie Freeman (185 wRC+) and Will Smith (176 wRC+). At this point, Los Angeles has a real claim as the modern Murderer’s Row; there aren’t any weaknesses in this lineup. They currently rank second in baseball with 5.61 runs scored per game.
Things haven’t been quite as smooth on the mound, as injuries have dealt a major blow to Los Angeles. Along with Snell and Sasaki, big names such as Tyler Glasnow (shoulder), Blake Treinen (forearm), and Kirby Yates (hamstring) are sidelined. Fortunately for the Dodgers, several other arms have been up to the task this season, including Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The Japanese ace has been untouchable so far, notching a 1.97 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 75 strikeouts over 64.0 innings. Right now, the 26-year-old is a Cy Young favorite in the National League.
Yankees at Dodgers series prediction, pick
In Game 1, Fried will take the bump in SoCal. The lefty has plenty of history in this matchup, all during his time with Atlanta. Over 18 career meetings with the Dodgers, including the postseason, Fried owns a 3.50 ERA. He’ll go up against Los Angeles starter Tony Gonsolin, who made his season debut in late April. Following a strong start, the right-hander has allowed eight runs over his last nine innings pitched. The 31-year-old has had command issues, dishing out 4.3 walks per nine innings. That’s bad news going into this matchup; the patient Yankees lead the league with 4.09 free passes per game.
LA will get a much easier matchup on Saturday against second-year pro Will Warren. However, the 25-year-old has looked unhittable in the month of May. Over his last 26.2 innings pitched, the righty has only allowed eight earned runs (2.70 ERA). It might also be in New York’s favor that the Dodgers haven’t seen Warren’s stuff yet. Los Angeles will counter with a young hurler of their own, Landon Knack. If not for injuries, the right-hander might not even be on the major league roster. That’s not to say Knack is a pushover; he’s accounted for a career 4.12 ERA over 22 career outings. Still, the edge on the mound leans towards the Yankees.
Finally, we have a Sunday Night Baseball matchup that’s decisively in favor of the champs. Yamamoto will get a crack at New York, something he relished last season. Over 13.1 innings against the Yankees, including Game 2 of the World Series, he’s allowed one run (0.68 ERA). The Pinstripes will likely go with a bullpen game, beginning with spot starter Ryan Yarborough. The journeyman has been a pleasant surprise this season, recording a 3.06 ERA through 35.1 innings of work. Still, a date against this Dodgers lineup is not for the faint of heart. Expect Yankees manager Aaron Boone to bring his relievers in early during this one.
Best Bets: Yankees series win (+120)
It won’t be easy, but the Yankees have a clear advantage on the mound (and in the bullpen) for Games 1 and 2. Prior to Yamamoto’s Sunday night start, the Bombers dish out some revenge in LA.
