“Looking forward to playing against them” - Shohei Ohtani prepped for World Series as Dodgers take on Yankees for 12th time

The stage has been set for an epic showdown as the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees face off in the World Series. This marks the first meeting between the two powerhouse teams in the biggest event of baseball since the 1981 Fall Classic.

At the heart of the narrative are superstars Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge. In the Dodgers' pennant-clinching victory over the New York Mets, the NL MVP-frontrunner shared his thoughts to the media.

"This is a place that I've dreamt of playing all of my life. To be able to finally come to this stage, be able to play, and hopefully win it is my next goal," he said.

When asked by MLB insider Ken Rosenthal about the prospect of facing Aaron Judge, Juan Soto and the Yankees, Ohtani replied:

“Looking forward to playing against them.”

With both teams loaded with talent in what is expected to be one of the most anticipated World Series matchups in recent history, it will be interesting to see which powerhouse comes out on top.

Dodgers-Yankees World Series history

Not only are the Dodgers and Yankees located in two of the largest sports markets in the US, but they are also among the most iconic names in the MLB.

With a combined 34 World Series titles between them, the two franchises are set to clash for the 12th time on baseball's biggest stage.

The Bombers have the upper hand over the Blue Crew, having won eight out of the 11 times they faced the Dodgers in the Fall Classic. Since the Dodgers moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles, the teams are tied 2-2.

The first meeting between the two was in the 1941 World Series. That season, the Bronx-based squad triumphed over the then-Brooklyn-based team as Bill Dickey, Joe DiMaggio and Joe Gordon got the best of Billy Herman, Joe Medwick and Pee Wee Reese, 4-3. At the time, Brooklyn was managed by former New York Yankee Leo Durocher.

Brooklyn continued to struggle against the Yankees' dominance throughout the late 1940s until the 1950s. The Yankees won six World Series titles in seven years, with Brooklyn on the losing end four times.

It was not until 1955 that Brooklyn exorcised their demons and won the Fall Classic over the Yankees in seven games. This series was notable as it was the only World Series title won by the great Jackie Robinson. It would also be the sole world championship that Brooklyn won in the borough before relocating to Los Angeles in 1957.

The Dodgers would win two more titles against the Yankees, first in 1963 and again 1981. Meanwhile, the Yankees clinched back-to-back World Series championships against their former city rivals in 1977 and 1978.