3 Yankees-Dodgers storylines from 2024 season you might've forgotten about

There are storylines within storylines within ... storylines for this clash of the behemoths in the 2024 World Series. The New York Yankees are headed to Los Angeles to face the Dodgers in Games 1 and 2 of the Fall Classic with a lot of shiny objects sitting right in front of us.

Shohei Ohtani. Aaron Judge. Mookie Betts. Juan Soto. Freddie Freeman. Giancarlo Stanton. Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Gerrit Cole.

In fact, once upon a time the Yankees were in the running for Ohtani. It was believed the Dodgers could be a dark horse destination for Judge. Betts was a premier figure in the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry. Soto played against the Dodgers in the NL West for two years. Freeman was passed over by New York in free agency (for some reason). Stanton, in some capacity, has always been linked to LA in outlandish trade rumors. These two teams battled it out for Yamamoto in free agency this offseason and for Cole after the 2019 campaign. There's a lengthy, star-studded history here.

But there are a few things dating back to last offseason fans might've forgotten about after what was a marathon campaign and an entertaining playoff slate. And now that the time has come, here's a little refresher on some other notable occurrences.

3 Yankees-Dodgers storylines from 2024 season you might've forgotten about

Miguel Rojas-Jazz Chisholm beef! Fight!

At first, this wasn't directly related to either team. It was a Miami Marlins issue that became a Dodgers one. And then when the Yankees traded for Chisholm, we were reminded it's now a World Series topic.

Chisholm called out Rojas this past offseason for how the veteran treated him during his early years in Miami from 2020-2022. Rojas responded forcefully (mostly denying what Chisholm said) and this was some big-time MLB draaammmaaaaa for a moment. Then it went away because, well, who cares about anything involving the Marlins?

But the two players will be in opposite dugouts for the biggest series of the year. Let's get chippy.

Juan Soto was injured for Yankees vs Dodgers in June

Yankees fans had their first official meltdown in June when Juan Soto left the team's June 6 game against the Minnesota Twins with what was called "forearm discomfort." Ah, yes, just what the Yankees needed: another position player undergoing Tommy John surgery to ruin a season!

The Dodgers, of course, were on deck for a series in the Bronx starting that next night. Soto didn't appear in a single inning during the three-game set. The Dodgers took the first two and the Yanks triumphed on Sunday Night Baseball thanks to Clay Holmes slamming the door shut.

LA has since improved. Soto will now be in New York's lineup. Might not be as easy to pitch around Judge and Stanton this time around, fellas.

Yankees nearly traded for Jack Flaherty at deadline

Another collective Yankees fan meltdown came after the trade deadline. Brian Cashman walked away with Chisholm, Mark Leiter Jr. and Enyel De Los Santos. Objectively, at the time, that was not enough for a Yankees team struggling on both sides of the ball. Were they still a contender? Absolutely. But they didn't feel like the No. 1 seed. Thankfully, they proved everybody wrong.

But shortly after the deadline we learned the Yankees had a deal in place for Jack Flaherty and opted to pass due to his medicals. When the Dodgers' trade package was revealed — featuring former Yankees top prospect Trey Sweeney! — the Bronx faithful were ready for war against the corporate machine. Did the Yankees need Flaherty? No. But he represented a luxury acquisition that was easily affordable based on what LA surrendered in the deal. And guess what? They almost ended up needing Flaherty! Clarke Schmidt got injured, Luis Gil faltered and then spent time on the IL, and Nestor Cortes later hit the IL (and remains out at the moment, though he's expected to be back for this series).

Flaherty is now starting Game 1 for the Dodgers against the Yankees and could tip the scales since he'll more than likely be pitching twice. The Yankees seemingly always get the medicals wrong, huh? Well, at least they largely stayed healthy this year, for once.