Dogers invested $1.3 billion in new contracts
It’s a dream finale. Ohtani, equally outstanding as a pitcher and hitter, but only available as a batter this year due to a throwing arm injury, will face Aaron Judge, who is paid $40 million per year until 2031. Both have had a huge season. And: Dodgers against Yankees is the ultimate classic, for the twelfth time since 1903 they are playing for the title between themselves, a record. The last time the two teams met was in 1981, and the Dodgers won.
What adds to the rivalry: The Dodgers, founded in 1883, come from the New York borough of Brooklyn; their nickname refers to the fact that their fans had to dodge the trams on the way to the stadium. They were popular and featured icon Jackie Robinson, the first black man in the MLB, but they didn’t win the World Series until 1955 – in their eleventh attempt and in their sixth duel with the Yankees. In 1958 the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles.
The Yankees stayed where they were: in the Bronx, New York. They had dazzling stars like Joe DiMaggio, who later married Marilyn Monroe, and more money than anyone else, which is why they always had the best players – and became the “evil empire”. The Yankees have won the World Series 27 times, most recently 15 years ago.
The Dodgers invested $1.3 billion in new contracts over the winter to win their first “real” title since 1988 (the 2020 championship is considered inferior due to Corona restrictions). Of course, that’s not a guarantee for a seventh triumph, especially not against the Yankees: the Dodgers only won three of their eleven duels for the “Commissioner’s Trophy”.
However, this time they have Ohtani. “His season,” wrote the Japan Times, resembles “a Hollywood film.” The blockbuster still lacks a happy ending.
