Yankees vs. Dodgers. They haven’t played against each other in the World Series since 1981, when the Dodgers won in six games. Fernando Valenzuela became the toast of Tinseltown. That seems like ages ago.

Yankees vs. Mets. It was called the Subway Series in 2000, when the two teams met in the World Series. The Yankees won their third consecutive world championship. Remember the Clemens vs. Piazza incident?

Yeah, I know, it’s premature to call the Yankees the 2024 American League champion, but what if they were to defeat Cleveland in the ALCS to return as a pennant-winner for the first time since 2009? It would end one of their longest droughts without appearing in a World Series. But we’d have a chance to see the revival of an old rivalry.

Let’s take a look at some of the history between these franchises.

The Yankees and Dodgers played against each other in the World Series 11 times, the first dating back to 1941, when the Dodgers were in Brooklyn. In their sixth meeting in 1955, the Dodgers finally overcame the Yankees, behind the pitching of Johnny Podres, Clem Labine and Roger Craig. Sandy Amoros made the legendary catch of Yogi Berra’s hit to left field.

In the Dodgers’ first World Series as the Los Angeles team in 1963, they swept the Yankees in four game. This time it was Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale and Podres man-handling Yankees batters, limiting them to only a .171 batting average and two home runs.

The Yankees defeated the Dodgers in back-to-back years in 1977-78. The Yankees’ lineup that included Reggie Jackson, Thurman Munson, Lou Piniella, Roy White, Ron Guidry, Catfish Hunter, and Sparky Lyle, were too much for Los Angeles. Reggie Jackson’s three home runs in 1978 Game 6 marked one of the most historic hitting performances in World Series history.

FernandoMania hit the majors in 1981, when rookie Fernando Valenzuela dazzled fans with his unique windup and ended up winning the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Award honors in the National League. He won Game 3 of the World Series which spurred the Dodgers’ turnaround defeat of the Yankees in six games.

The Mets and Yankees have met only once in the World Series, in 2000. It was only the Mets’ fourth World Series appearance. The Yankees defeated the Mets in five games, with each of the games ending in very close scores. There was no love lost between the two teams, highlighted by pitcher Roger Clemens throwing part of a shattered bat in the direction of batter Mike Piazza as he ran to first base.

Wouldn’t you want to see the Yankees play one of these two teams to renew an old rivalry?

So, all you Yankee-haters, go ahead and root for the Evil Empire to win the pennant this year. Is that asking too much?