If you're a fan of superstardom and tradition, the 2024 World Series featuring the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers is probably a dream matchup.

Aaron Judge is expected to bring home the American League MVP, while Shohei Ohtani is the National League front-runner. The franchises are two of the most famed organizations in baseball history, and this showdown is the first Fall Classic between the teams in 43 years.

The matchup, no matter the result, is easily an iconic one.

In this millennium, we've had several truly memorable clashes in the World Series. The following ranking is not necessarily the most competitive series since 2000 but instead based on the context surrounding the teams competing for the Commissioner's Trophy ahead of the Fall Classic.

8. Angels vs. Giants (2002)

The Winner: Angels in seven games

One common theme you'll notice is droughts. During the 2002 World Series, we knew history would be made either way.

From the American League, the Anaheim Angels had never before punched a ticket to the Fall Classic in 42 seasons of existence. On the NL side, the San Francisco Giants took aim at the organization's first championship since moving to the West Coast in 1958.

Additionally, the matchup included the league's best lineup—Anaheim hit an MLB-high .282—against a Barry Bonds-led offense. The Giants slugger was one year removed from setting the single-season home run record (73) and was smack in the middle of a run of four NL MVPs.

San Francisco took a 3-2 series lead before the Rally Monkey (and Scott Spiezio) sparked a five-run comeback late in Game 6. Anaheim then celebrated a 4-1 win in Game 7 for the franchise's first title.

7. Red Sox vs. Dodgers (2018)

The Winner: Red Sox in five games

Considering how rarely the Boston Red Sox made the World Series from 1919 to 2003, it's no surprise they hadn't played the Dodgers.

Still, the 2018 Fall Classic included two of the most historic teams in the sport. Boston took on Los Angeles in the first showdown between the franchises since the Dodgers were the Brooklyn Robins in 1916.

The 108-win Red Sox featured homegrown star Mookie Betts, who would go on to win that year's MVP, while Dodgers icon Clayton Kershaw was still seeking his first title.

The series was not particularly great, although Game 3 may be familiar because it became an 18-inning marathon.

6. Astros vs. Dodgers (2017)

The Winner: Astros in seven games

In hindsight, we can hardly talk about the 2017 Houston Astros without mentioning the sign-stealing scandal. That's a piece of baseball history, no matter your feelings about the details.

At the moment, nevertheless, it was a mammoth battle.

Houston racked up 101 wins during the regular season, and Los Angeles notched 104. This was the first battle of 100-win teams in 47 years.

The back-and-forth series ended with the Astros winning in seven games. George Springer tied an MLB record with a total of five homers, earning MVP honors for Houston's now-tainted title run.

5. Yankees vs. Diamondbacks (2001)

The Winner: Diamondbacks in seven games

An expansion team in 1998, the Arizona Diamondbacks made the World Series in their fourth year of existence. That alone, regardless of what happened, was a terrific accomplishment for the D-Backs.

Also do you remember what had happened in that span? Well, the Yankees won the Fall Classic in 1998, 1999 and 2000.

On the diamond, it doesn't get much more "David vs. Goliath" than that.

Yet those Yankees had the nation's heart during their run to the Fall Classic, not long after 9/11.

The Diamondbacks pulled off the surprise with an epic series. They smashed the Yanks 15-2 in Game 6, and Luis Gonzalez flared a walk-off single to best Mariano Rivera and give the D-Backs a 3-2 victory in Game 7.

4. Yankees vs. Mets (2000)

The Winner: Yankees in five games

Look, if you didn't sprint to the television, I hear you. The lack of national intrigue memorably made for low television ratings.

Major League Baseball has three possible crosstown matchups, though. Once the Brooklyn Dodgers left the borough in 1958, it only happened in 1989 with the Oakland A's and San Francisco Giants.

Love 'em or hate 'em, the Subway Series was memorable.

Yankees legend Derek Jeter won MVP honors, hitting two homers as the franchise won its third straight championship.

3. Red Sox vs. Cardinals (2004)

The Winner: Red Sox in four games

Sure, the series was a dud. That's the nature of a sweep—when you're watching from a neutral perspective, of course.

The history made, however, was anything but boring.

Boston entered the Fall Classic with an 86-year drought. Not only had the Sox fallen in four World Series appearances during that span, but two losses (1946 and 1967) also happened against the St. Louis Cardinals. After Boston completed its storied climb from an 0-3 hole against the Yankees in the ALCS, would an inglorious streak continue in all-too-familiar fashion?

St. Louis, for good measure, was another famed franchise. But the team hadn't won a World Series in 22 years, the longest gap since the Cardinals earned the championship in 1926.

Boston ultimately cruised after winning 11-9 in Game 1, allowing only three runs in the last three contests.

2. Cleveland vs. Cubs (2016)

The Winner: Cubs in seven games

It took the Chicago Cubs a minute to join Boston, but they triumphed over 108 years of misery in 2016.

This wasn't solely about the North Siders, though.

Cleveland entered with a 68-year drought, last winning the World Series in 1948. The franchise had come up short in 1954 and endured decades of mediocrity before falling again in 1995 and 1997.

Although the series only had a few close games, the Cubs snapped their championship-less streak in epic fashion. They clawed out of a 3-1 series deficit and won a thrilling, rain-delayed Game 7 in 10 innings.

1. Yankees vs. Dodgers (2024)

The Winner: Coming Soon

From one loud perspective, the matchup is everything wrong with Major League Baseball. Two of the league's two highest payrolls are squaring off, and one inevitably will win the World Series. Gross.

It's a glorification of snobby New York and better-than-you Los Angeles. I don't need that. It's a dream for media executives and spoiled, entitled fanbases. No, thank you.

Also, you know, pretty cool!

When the franchises were crosstown rivals in the 1940s and 1950s, they played in the World Series seven times. But since the Dodgers' move to L.A., it's occurred only four times and not since 1981. Baseball is beloved for its nostalgia, and anyone who's 43 or younger—and, really, a few more years—has never actually seen this matchup on the biggest stage.

Plus, it's not just Aaron Judge vs. Shohei Ohtani. While they're both on Hall of Fame tracks, so are Juan Soto, Gerrit Cole, Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts with Giancarlo Stanton in the discussion.

Watch because you love the Yankees, the Dodgers or history. Hate-watch, if you'd like! But it's a rare, tradition-filled matchup.