Dodgers, Yankees meet in dream World Series

LOS ANGELES – It was impossible to miss the sadness that enveloped Dodger Stadium on the eve of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees. The National League and American League champions couldn’t miss the many tributes to Fernando Valenzuela.

The legendary Mexican left-hander was seemingly on everybody’s mind two days after he died. Poetically, perhaps, the Yankees and Dodgers are meeting in the Fall Classic for the 12th time and the first since Valenzuela helped Los Angeles beat the Bronx Bombers for the 1981 title.

Fans created a shrine to Valenzuela with flowers, Mexican flags, sombreros, white Dodger balloons and gold balloons with Valenzuela’s old No. 34 at the entrance to Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers will wear a black, “Fernando 34” patch on their uniforms throughout the World Series, beginning in Game 1 on Friday night.

“He’s one of the great Dodgers of all time, one of the great Mexican players of all time, and he’s a legend,” Yankees ace Gerrit Cole said of Valenzuela. “It’s just sad he won’t be here for this Series, but he’s probably got a great seat for it upstairs.”

Cole, who will start Game 1 for the Yankees, grew up as a Yankees fan in Orange County, Calif., which is the county south of L.A. County. He met Valenzuela in passing over the years.

Remembering Fernandomania

As a former UCLA ace, Cole knows quite a bit about Dodgers history and Valenzuela’s place in it. Yankees manager Aaron Boone, who played at USC, moved to Southern California after his father Bob Boone joined the California Angels in 1982.

Although his dad was a catcher in the American League when he lived in Southern California, Aaron Boone remembers Valenzuela’s impact on baseball.

“Certainly my thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Valenzuela family and Dodger Nation,” Aaron Boone said. “I kind of lived here through (it). I moved here in 1983, so kind of right after Fernandomania began in ’81.

“But certainly lived through and knew what he meant to the Dodgers, to Southern California, to Mexico, and just how popular and how impactful that he was on the field. But certainly what he meant to so many people around the world.”

Commissioner Rob Manfred wouldn’t and couldn’t probably admit it, but this is the dream matchup that Major League Baseball wanted. How could you blame him? These are the two biggest markets in America.

East Coast vs. West Coast. New York vs. Los Angeles. Hollywood vs. Broadway.

Star-studded World Series

Shohei Ohtani, the NL MVP favorite, will go against Aaron Judge, the AL MVP favorite. Former AL MVP Mookie Betts of the Dodgers and Juan Soto of the Yankees are also among the best players in baseball. Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton, the 2017 NL MVP, is no slouch. He was the 2024 American League Championship Series MVP, after all.

With Ohtani, a two-time AL MVP, the Dodgers are also a popular ratings draw in Japan.

“It is worldwide,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I think that’s what’s going to make this World Series so special, so unique. You could easily argue that on a global scale the Yankees and the Dodgers are the most followed, the most supported, the most visible.

“So obviously with our two great organizations and the branding, it’s going to be very visible.”

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The Yankees are in the World Series for the 40th time in franchise history and the first time since 2009. Moreover, the Bronx Bombers are trying to win their first title since they won their record 27th in 2000.

The Dodgers are in the World Series for the 22nd time in Brooklyn-Los Angeles franchise history and the first since 2020. They won the 2020 title during the COVID-shortened, 60-game season. Yet, they haven’t won a title after a full 162-game season since 1988, when Valenzuela was on the team.

Tribute set for Fernando Valenzuela

Jack Flaherty will start Game 1 for the Dodgers against Cole in a duel between right-handed pitchers who grew up in Southern California not too far from Dodger Stadium, relatively speaking.

The Dodgers will pay tribute to Valenzuela before Game 1. A moment of silence will be held in Valenzuela’s honor. Valenzuela’s former catcher Steve Yeager, the 1981 World Series MVP, and 1988 World Series MVP Orel Hershiser will participate in the ceremonial first pitch.

Country music star Brad Paisely, a Dodger superfan, will sing the national anthem. Then, the two biggest brands in MLB will play before what surely will be a raucous, sellout crowd.

“We think we have a really good team,” Boone said. “We know how good the Dodgers are. Both teams obviously have the ability to be really potent on offense. In the end it comes down to execution. Certainly both pitching staffs being able to slow down the other offenses will be critical, and ultimately that comes down to execution.”