The juggernaut franchises faced off in the World Series 11 times between 1941 and 1981. But since then, they had been limited to 16 interleague games against each other heading into this weekend. And the last time they met, the Yankees and the Dodgers didn’t even look the part. The Yankees ripped through the past month, winning 19 of 29 games before Friday and constructing the best record in Major League Baseball since May 2. The Dodgers, after beating the Yankees, 8-4, in Friday night’s series opener, were tied with Arizona for the best record in the National League (35-23).

---

Persons: “ I’m, ” Gerrit Cole Organizations: Yankees, Dodgers, grays, Major League Baseball, Arizona, National League Locations: New York, Los Angeles