Historical Battles and Intense Showdowns on the Diamond

The historical battles and MLB rivalries on the Diamond fascinate baseball lovers. If you are a baseball fanatic and intend to be aware of the worldwide legendary MLB or Major League Baseball, this article is appropriate for you.

The 9 MLB rivalries we discussed in this article are, namely, New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs vs. St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees vs. New York Mets,  Los Angeles Angels vs. Los Angeles Dodgers and many more.

All the Rivalries mentioned in this article are well-researched; hence, you will get all the truthful information about the rivalries.

Top 9 MLB Rivalries

Here are the nine most popular MLB Rivalries worldwide.

# 1 New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox

This rivalry is popularly known as the Yankees and Red Sox Rivalry. Both teams met for the first time in 1901. Since then, they have played against each other about 2,323 times. Both the rivals were in the MLB’s American League and played each for over 120 seasons.

source - https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2649577-br-mlb-rivalry-series-new-york-yankees-vs-boston-red-sox

The rivalry between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox is one of the most intense and heated rivalries in the history of all sports. Their rivalry begins from the very root of their origin; even their close geographical location is also a reason. Their high-energy matches attract the nations’ eyes and the love and support of their fan bases.

# 2 Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Francisco Giants

The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants rivalry is known as the rivalry of Dodgers and Giants. Both teams played their first match against each other in 1890. This rivalry is considered one of the most fierce and longest-running rivalry in the history of Baseball.

The total number of matches both teams have played against each other is 2,562. Both rivals share their common history in New York City. However, they later shifted to West Coast. This rivalry is known as the National League West Rivalry, and on-field arguments and supportive fans distinguish it.

# 3 Chicago Cubs vs. St. Louis Cardinals

The rivalry between Cubs and Cardinals is widely popular by various other names such as Route-66 Rivalry and The I-55 Rivalry. Their rivalry is the most bitter rivalry in the MLB and North American professional sports.

The rivals first met in the year 1892 in MLB World Series. Since then, they have total played matches around 2,494.  Their rivalry is an aggressive duo on the field, creating some permanent memories. The close geographical distance between the rivals is also a deep-rooted reason for such intense rivalry. In June 2023, fans will again get to watch them play.

# 4 New York Yankees vs. New York Mets

The rivalry between the Yankees and Mets is a cross-town rivalry, and their match is one of the most anticipated matches in MLB.  Both the rival played their first match in 1997, and till today, they have played 138 matches.

The New York Mets is part of the MLB’s National League East Division, and New York Yankees is part of MLB’s American League East Division. The “Subway Series” series is famous and has many fans due to the match between the Yankees and Mets. Their match is supposed to take place in June 2023.

# 5 Los Angeles Angel vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

The rivals of Los Angeles are Los Angeles Angels and Los Angeles Dodgers. Both the teams play a "Freeway Series," Which is more like the "Subway Series " in New York. This series attracts mostly the local fans of Southern California. 

source - https://www.truebluela.com/2020/9/26/21457779/dodgers-angels-game-thread

Angels and Dodgers played their first match in 1997, and the total number of matches played together is 140. The Angels are a member of the MLB's American League West division, and the Dodgers are members of the MLB's  Natiot League's West division. Their next match is anticipated for June 2023.

# 6 New York Yankees vs. Cleveland Indians

The rivalry between the Yankees and Indians is less popular than other MLB rivalries. However, they also do leave a positive impact on their fans. They first met in 1902. Despite not being that famous, they did create some memorable moments in the history of MLB

Their rivalry goes back to the matches played in the postseason battles and matchups, for example, the matchup between the Baltimore Orioles and Cleaveland Blues. The Yankees have been winning continuously, but the optimistic fans of the Indians keep the fire alive.  It is genuinely a match of talent and determination on the diamond when these two rivals play against each other.

# 7 Philadelphia Phillies vs. New York Mets

The rivalry between the Phillies and Mets is famous as the “Battle of the East,” as both the teams are members of MLB’s National Leagues East division. Every fan enjoys their matches due to the high-spirited matchups.

The rivals played their first match in 1962, and till now, they have played against each other 1055 times. Their rivalry is fierce, with fascinating moments in the NL’s history. The rivalry between the Phillies and Mets is also related o their close geographical location. June 2023 is fixed for their next match.

# 8 Chicago Cubs vs. Chicago White Sox

This rivalry between the Cubs and  White Sox is widely popular as various names such as Crosstown Classic, The windy city showdown, The city series, and Crosstown Series. The rivalry is a local battle because of the geographical distance between both teams.  

They played their first match in 1906, and till today, they have played 138 games. Crosstown rivalries are always the most exciting matches due to their proximity and the anticipation among the fans. Both teams are members of the MLB’s National League’s Central Division and mainly play in Wrigley Field. Their next match is fixed for July 2023.

# 9 Cincinnati Reds vs. Pittsburgh Pirates

The rivalry between the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates  is famous in the name “Battle of the River.” They are both members of the MLB’s National Leagues’ Central Division.

source - https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/mlb/reds/2023/04/02/reds-vs-pirates-graham-ashcraft-leads-cincinnati-to-series-win/70073251007/

They played their first match in 1900 and, till today, have played over 2254. The geographical location of both teams backs their rivalry.  Their rivalry goes back to the winning of supremacy over the Ohio River.

The matches are often quite intense and memorable for the highly anticipated and vocal fan bases. Their next game is scheduled for August 2023.

Where to watch MLB live?

Apart from knowing about the rivalries, the most important thing is knowing where to watch the live MLB matches. Now you can watch free and, most importantly, high-quality baseball streaming through the MLB Reddit streams leading to Sportsurge.

In Sportsurge, you can watch sports like NBA, MLB, NHL, NFL, MMA, Cricket, Tennis, WWE, and whatnot.

FAQs

Q: Which factors affect the MLB rivalries?

Ans: Various factors affect the MLB rivalries, such as geographical location, historical matches, fierce games, and, lastly, strong fan bases.

Q: What is it that makes the MLB rivalries exciting?

Ans: The MLB rivalries the exciting due to their intense competition, vocal fans, obsession over the matches, the competitive mindset of the players and fan bases, and so on.

Q:  Do rivalries exist between the teams in the same league?

Ans: The MLB rivalries exist between teams from the same MLB Leagues and teams from different MLB Leagues.

Conclusion

Last, we all know that rivals are essential for self-improvement. However, rivalry should be healthy, which should act as betterment for both the rivals. In this article, we have covered nine worldwide famous MLB rivalries. Most upcoming matches are set for June, July, and August. Hence if you plan on catching them live, plan it from now.