<Li> 1978 World Series: Yankees defeat Dodgers, 4--2 </Li> <Li> 1981 World Series: Dodgers defeat Yankees, 4--2 </Li> <P> The Dodgers--Yankees rivalry is a Major League Baseball (MLB) rivalry between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees . The Dodgers are a member club of the National League (NL) West division, and the Yankees are a member club of the American League (AL) East division . The rivalry between the Dodgers and Yankees is one of the most well - known rivalries in Major League Baseball . The two teams have met 11 times in the World Series, more times than any other pair of teams from the American and National Leagues . The initial significance was embodied in the two teams' proximity in New York City, when the Dodgers initially played in Brooklyn . After the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles in 1958, the rivalry retained its significance as the two teams represented the dominant cities on each coast of the United States, and since the 1980s, the two largest cities in the United States . The Dodgers currently lead the regular season series 7 - 6 . Although the rivalry's significance arose from the two teams' numerous World Series meetings, the Yankees and Dodgers have not met in the World Series since 1981 . They would not play each other in a non-exhibition game until 2004, when they played a 3 - game interleague series . Nevertheless, games between the two teams have become quite popular and draw sellout crowds . </P> <P> At the dawn of the 20th century, the American League was in its infancy, and one of its charter franchises (which would eventually become the Yankees) was the original Baltimore Orioles . The league, however, recognized that it required a presence in New York City, the country's largest market, in order to survive . Hence, it moved the Orioles to New York, which was already the home of two National League franchises, the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants . The new team was eventually called the New York Highlanders due to their home field being Hilltop Park from 1903--1912 . </P>

When was the last year the yankees and the dodgers played in the world series