The New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers just gave Major League Baseball a ratings boost, and it’s no surprise. Sunday night’s game drew 2.73 million viewers, the largest Sunday Night Baseball audience in seven years, per ESPN. The Yankees snagged one win in the three-game series, but it was the Dodgers who stole the show, exploding for 26 runs in the first two games. It was a rematch of last year’s World Series, and the excitement was palpable, with Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani trading home runs and Max Muncy delivering a two-homer game for the Dodgers. The series was a microcosm of why these teams are the cream of the crop, both leading their divisions as June rolls around.
The Dodgers, fresh off their World Series win, have only gotten stronger. They added starting pitchers Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki, and closer Tanner Scott, to a roster that’s already stacked. The Yankees countered with Paul Goldschmidt, Cody Bellinger, and Max Fried, but it was the Dodgers who looked dominant for most of the series. Game 2 was a rout, with the Dodgers winning 18-2 despite Judge’s two homers. Game 1 was equally impressive, with Ohtani’s two homers leading the charge in a historic moment where both reigning MVPs homered in the same inning. “I thought he was copying me,” Judge joked after the game, per USA TODAY. “He’s impressive. He’s one of the best players in the game for a reason.”
The series was a preview of what could be a Fall Classic rematch. The Dodgers are 36-24, the Yankees 36-22, and both teams are built to win. The Yankees’ lone win on Sunday night kept them in the conversation, but it’s the Dodgers who’ve set the tone. With Judge and Ohtani leading the charge, and Muncy adding firepower, these teams are must-watch TV. The MLB season’s heating up, and if Sunday night’s ratings are any indication, fans are ready for more. Stay tuned, because this story’s got legs, and the Yankees-Dodgers rivalry is just getting started.
