CNN
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The Yankees versus the Dodgers – it’s a story as old as 1941.

The New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers, two of the most storied franchises in Major League Baseball history, will face each other in the World Series on Friday for the first time since 1981.

While the two powerhouses are neck-and-neck during regular season play, the Dodgers have historically fallen short against the Yanks in the postseason, according to a CNN analysis of Major League Baseball data via Baseball Reference.

The teams have played each other 11 times in recent title series since their first in 1941. The Yankees have won eight of those championships.

The Yankees have a total of 27 World Series wins – more than any other MLB team. However, it has been fifteen years since the Yankees won their last title, and this is their first appearance in the World Series since then. The Dodgers claimed their last title victory in 2020 — after losing to two teams in 2017 and 2018 that were later accused of sign stealing.

The rivalry between the Dodgers and Yankees was hot in the 1940s and 1950s, when the teams – with LA and then the Brooklyn Dodgers – met in seven World Series championships, of which the Yankees won six. The Dodgers moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 1958.

The men in pinstripes have had a distinct advantage when it comes to World Series wins against the Dodgers, as they have won 73% of World Series titles against Los Angeles/Brooklyn. However, when we look at all the games played between the two teams – during the regular season and in the playoffs – they are more evenly matched.

Of the 88 games the teams have ever played against each other, the Yankees have won 55% and the Dodgers 45%.

While much has changed since the two teams were crosstown rivals – the Dodgers in Brooklyn and the Yankees in the Bronx, which remains their favorite turf to this day – fans’ anticipation for a good rematch continues.