<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>
when was the last time the dodgers played yankees in the world series
1981