Oct 31, 2024; New York, USA, LAD; Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) celebrates with the Willie Mays World Series Most Valuable Player Award after being name the MVP in game five to win the 2024 Imagn Images World Series against the New York Yankees at New York. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Hall of Fame Manager Says Dodgers Are Yankees of National League

Originally posted on Los Angeles Dodgers on SI
By Jason Fray | Last updated Aug 13, 2025 2:35 PM ET

While the New York Yankees are universally regarded as the most prolific baseball franchise in the history of the sport, where do the Los Angeles Dodgers rank on this hypothetical totem pole?

It's a question many are asking considering the last decade in which the Dodgers have been arguably the best and most consistent entity in Major League Baseball. From 11 division titles in 12 years to multiple World Series championships, it's hard to argue otherwise.

Dodgers Nation's Doug McKain made the trek from Los Angeles to Atlanta for the 2025 MLB All-Star Game. Speaking with a host of current and former players, McKain got to briefly speak with Hall of Fame manager Joe Torre.

Torre's career in professional baseball spans more than half a century — and coincidentally his managing career culminated in a two-year stint with the Dodgers. Torre is most known for his time managing the New York Yankees and a collection of star-studded names. Torre led the Yankees to four World Series titles.

Uniquely positioned to speak on both franchises, Torre made a very fascinating comparison.

"I always looked at the Dodgers as the Yankees of the National League because they're an organization you either love 'em or hate 'em. And that's how the Yankees are. What Dave Roberts has done over there is remarkable. Being able to mesh all of those players with a great deal of ability is not easy for a manager. But Davey has done a great job, kept everyone together and kept them hungry."

The Dodgers are tied with the rival San Francisco Giants with the fifth-most World Series titles (eight). Los Angeles trails the A's (9), Red Sox (9), Cardinals (11), and, of course, the Yankees (27).

While the Cardinals may have a bit of a bone to pick with Torre's statement, the Dodgers do share some real parallels with the Yankees. Much like New York is to the East Coast, the premier city on the West Coast objectively speaking is Los Angeles.

Both metropolises have glitz and glamor to them, with a host of elite players representing each franchise as all-timers. As Torre alluded to, people who aren't die-hard fans of either franchise likely despise them due to their spending capabilities among other elements.

While the Dodgers still have a ways to go in catching the Yankees for World Series titles, the franchise does have a chance to further cement itself as one of the best moving forward and into the future.