How The Los Angeles Dodgers vs. New York Yankees Rivalry Has Been Revived

The concept of the New York Yankees operating in the shadows is comical, if not a downright preposterous concept.

 The organization of The Bambino, Joltin’ Joe, The Mick, The Iron Horse, Mr. October, Donnie Baseball and The Captain, now has All Rise, Bigfoot, Stro and Los taking center stage these days.

There isn’t much understated when it comes to the Yankees.

But the team’s free-spending ways have been eclipsed by some high-priced Los Angeles Dodgers offseason additions. The Yankees don’t even have the highest MLB payroll in their own town, yet they are making some of the most noise on the field.

The Yankees had the best record in the American League entering play Tuesday, and were outpacing the all-in Dodgers by a slight margin. The Yankees were 33-16 through 49 games, while the Dodgers were a half game back at 33-17 through 50.

The Yankees are not penny pinching by any means, knowing the value of dynamic performers in the most major market of all. Teams that were lauded for their high-priced additions don’t have much on them this year.

The way the Dodgers added talent, it was as if they would have the National League West wrapped up by now. Adding the biggest contract ever in Shohei Ohtani’s 10-year $700-million deal, and the biggest ever given to a pitcher in Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s 12-year $325-million pact, everybody was supposed to be playing for runner-up.

But the Yankees are lurking at the top of the MLB heap with a pitching staff that has been the best in baseball nearing the one-third mark of the season. Entering Tuesday’s games, nobody was better than the Yankees’ 2.86 staff ERA. They had the third best ERA from their starters (2.95) and the second best from the bullpen (2.69).

New York’s starting staff shouldn’t be this good, at least not without an injured Gerrit Cole. Yet, Luis Gil, Clarke Schmidt, Carlos Rodon, Marcus Stroman and Nestor Cortes all are operating with a 3.56 ERA or better. Gil is returning from Tommy John surgery and had just seven starts of major league experience before this year but has been dazzling with a 2.39 ERA in nine starts.

The bullpen was retooled via the Dodgers with left-handers Caleb Ferguson and Victor Gonzalez, while Clay Holmes (1.74 ERA) had 13 saves before a rare blown opportunity Monday.

On offense, the Yankees are even with the Dodgers’ three-headed monster of Mookie Betts, Ohtani and Freddie Freeman. New York has 68 home runs, second best in baseball, to 66 for Los Angeles. The Dodgers have an MLB-leading .775 OPS to the Yankees’ second-best mark of .768.

Both teams even have top-10 defenses, when it comes to defensive runs saved.

What it suggests is that this could be the season when baseball’s biggest cross-country rivalry gets renewed in the Fall. Not only would it be a major-market TV-ratings bonanza, who wouldn’t want to see which Evil Empire’s Death Star has its vulnerability exposed on the World Series stage?

It remains early, though, and the Dodgers believe that with improving health, they only will get better. Jason Heyward just returned from a lower back injury, with his long IL stint allowing rookie Andy Pages to emerge.

Walker Buehler just returned from a two-year absence, with starters like Bobby Miller, Clayton Kershaw and Dustin May all expected back this season. High-leverage reliever Brusdar Graterol has been out all season, with closer Evan Phillips on the mend, as well as bullpen arms like Joe Kelly and Ryan Brasier close to returning. Also out is third baseman Max Muncy.

The Yankees don’t often surprise. Not with their consistent level of talent. Juan Soto has helped give the Yankees their own triple threat with Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. And Cole is on the way back to what will be a crowded rotation.

That old Yankees/Dodgers rivalry is alive and well, creating energy even when they aren’t facing each other. Once neighbors in the Bronx and Brooklyn, it seems as if they are preparing to hold a massive block party again.

Somebody bring the popcorn.