How do the Dodgers and Yankees stack up in their first matchup since the World Series?

It’s not quite the sequel everyone is waiting for. That still could come in October.

But it’ll still be a marquee matchup when the New York Yankees visit the Los Angeles Dodgers for a rematch of the 2024 World Series starting Friday night.

The retooled Yankees don’t have Juan Soto, but Aaron Judge may be better than ever. The Dodgers are still riding Shohei Ohtani’s powerful bat and a lineup that contains thump throughout.

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And both teams are atop their respective divisions.

How do they compare?

Catcher: Austin Wells vs. Will Smith

Wells has been decent at the plate (98 OPS+ going into Wednesday) after a hot spring training, but he’s also been steady defensively and Yankees pitchers rave about throwing to him. He’s also got the team’s first facial hair superstition since the beard policy changed, only shaving when the Yankees lose a series. They have won seven series in a row.

Smith has been one of the best catchers in the sport to start the season, entering Wednesday leading the National League with 2.2 fWAR while also looking like the high-quality hitter he was in the first halves of 2023 and 2024. The decision to call up Dalton Rushing was in part out of a desire to keep Smith fresh for the biggest moments.

First base: Paul Goldschmidt vs. Freddie Freeman

Many weren’t sure what to expect from Goldschmidt, who took a one-year, $12.5-million deal from the Yankees after a down 2024. He’s been a revelation, pounding left-handed pitching and providing solid defense every day at age 37. He’s replaced Anthony Rizzo as a big clubhouse presence, too.

Freeman still isn’t moving right after offseason surgery on the injured right ankle he played through all of last October, and yet he’s putting up an MVP-caliber start. He’s currently trailing only teammate Shohei Ohtani among the National League leaders in OPS and looking like, well, Freddie Freeman.

Second base: DJ LeMahieu vs. Tommy Edman

The Yankees are still calibrating expectations for LeMahieu. At 36 years old, he’s looked better than he has in recent seasons, but he’s also finally been healthy. Soon, Jazz Chisholm Jr. (oblique strain) will return from the injured list, but it seems like he’s going to shift to third base.

Edman found a power stroke to start the season, but his value remains in his versatility. He’s probably the Dodgers’ best option at second base, and their best overall defensive alignment might be with Edman in center field and Andy Pages in one of the corners. The 2024 NLCS MVP isn’t quite firing on all cylinders offensively of late but remains a productive contributor.

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Shortstop: Anthony Volpe vs. Mookie Betts

Volpe has been much better offensively this season, swinging with more authority and punishing more mistakes than he has in the past. The advanced stats say he’s having a down season defensively, but that doesn’t pass the eye test. In Year 3, he may be starting to come into his own.

Anthony Volpe makes a throw in Game 3 of the 2024 World Series. (Mary DeCicco / MLB Photos via Getty Images)

The Dodgers feel that Betts is an above-average defensive shortstop at this point, which is a testament to the former MVP’s work at the position. What he’s attempting to do in his 30s is unprecedented. But whether it’s due to bad habits he picked up after losing a ton of weight due to a March illness or the toll of the position, Betts is off to an underwhelming .750 OPS to start the season.

Third base: Oswald Peraza/Jorbit Vivas vs. Max Muncy

Peraza is all-glove, no-bat, though the Yankees hope he’ll turn into one and flash pull-side power. He’s got a slick glove and one of the strongest infield arms in the game. Vivas provides contact ability and patient at-bats, though he’s better suited defensively to second base.

Muncy’s defense has struggled. He hasn’t hit for power. It’s been a frustrating start, but the Dodgers have committed to giving Muncy plenty of leash to figure it out. Maybe a home run this week in Cleveland was a sign of something.

Left field: Jasson Domínguez vs. Michael Conforto

Domínguez, a switch-hitter, has been excellent from the left side and terrible righty. He’s still experiencing growing pains learning left field, but he’s been steadier than he was in spring training. He’s a threat on the bases, too.

Conforto was acquired this winter to hit. He entered Wednesday with the second-lowest batting average (.172) in the majors. It’s been an atrocious start, though the Dodgers likewise remain encouraged with what they’ve seen from Conforto of late. His home run on Tuesday was his first since April 5.

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Center field: Cody Bellinger/Trent Grisham vs. Andy Pages

Bellinger has turned into excellent protection for Judge in May, showing power and contact ability. He’s also been a good sport about playing any outfield position when asked. Grisham started hot but has cooled off significantly. He’s a strong center fielder and proves the Yankees should have used him more last year.

In early April, it seemed like center field was emerging as a real problem for the Dodgers. Pages was struggling with reads defensively, running into outs on the bases and generally not hitting well. Some conversations with Raúl Ibañez, Teoscar Hernández and the Dodgers’ brass got him going and he’s been one of the team’s most productive players.

Right field: Aaron Judge vs. Teoscar Hernández

Judge may be redefining greatness. It’s almost more surprising when Judge doesn’t hit a 450-foot homer or go 2-for-4. He’s in the midst of yet another incredible season, and if he keeps it up, he’ll win his third American League MVP. Something to watch this series: It’ll be Judge’s first time playing right field at Dodger Stadium since he ran into the wall and injured his toe in 2023.

The Dodgers made re-signing Hernández a priority this winter and he’s been their most productive signing to date, resuming his role as a prominent middle-of-the-order bat who looks like he’s headed towards yet another All-Star appearance. He torched the Yankees a year ago in the regular season and collected the score-tying double in the fifth inning of the World Series-clinching Game 5.

DH: Ben Rice vs. Shohei Ohtani

Rice’s hot start has been one of the best non-Judge stories of the season. With Giancarlo Stanton (tennis elbows) yet to make his 2025 debut, the 26-year-old lefty has raked and played a capable first base. He’s been chasing pitches out of the zone lately, which has sapped some of his production. But he’s a middle-of-the-order threat.



The first player in the majors to 20 home runs this year is also ramping up for a return to the mound. And he has 11 stolen bases. Ohtani remains ridiculous, and any hopes of the Dodgers staying afloat amid this bout of injuries largely ride on his bat.

Starting rotation

How were the Yankees ever going to recover from losing Gerrit Cole to Tommy John surgery this spring? Max Fried has been the answer. The lefty has easily been one of the best pitchers in baseball, using his trademark deception and command. The Yankees will start him Friday. He’ll be followed by rookie Will Warren, who’s been a strikeout machine lately, and likely Carlos Rodón — if the Yankees don’t turn to Ryan Yarbrough instead. Rodón (7-3, 2.60 ERA, 12 starts) is having an All-Star-type start.

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Only two members of the Dodgers’ Opening Day rotation (Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dustin May) are still in it. Yamamoto is a Cy Young contender. May is finding his footing. Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Roki Sasaki are all dealing with shoulder trouble. They’re relying far more on Tony Gonsolin, Landon Knack and now Clayton Kershaw more than expected and haven’t taken down nearly enough innings.

Bullpen

The Yankees thought Devin Williams would be closing games for them all season. He fizzled early, and Luke Weaver reassumed the role he thrived in late last year and in the playoffs. Williams still sees high-leverage work, though. The rest of the Yankees’ bullpen has been good, especially behind big spots from Mark Leiter Jr. and the return of the hard-throwing Jonathan Loáisiga.

No bullpen in baseball has thrown more innings this season than the Dodgers, and they’re feeling it. Their five best right-handed relievers (Blake Treinen, Evan Phillips, Kirby Yates, Michael Kopech, Brusdar Graterol) are all on the IL. Their $72 million closer, Tanner Scott, has blown leads in three of his last five appearances. This is not what the Dodgers had envisioned.

(Top photo of Freddie Freeman and Aaron Judge: Jim McIsaac / Getty Images)

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