Clash of the titans: Yankees & Dodgers open potential World Series preview Friday

College football is back this week with two games on Saturday night, but there's still one big reason to pay attention to Major League Baseball this weekend. That's because the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers will be playing a three-game set from Left Coast starting Friday night. First pitch of that one is 10:10 p.m. ET from Dodger Stadium.

No question this could be a World Series preview – the two marquee franchises haven't met in the Fall Classic since 1981 when Los Angeles won in six games. Overall, the teams have met in the World Series 11 times dating to the Dodgers' days as the Yankees' neighbors in Brooklyn. On the current Westgate odds to win the 2019 World Series, the Dodgers are 5/2 and the Yankees 4/1. Hard to believe that Los Angeles hasn't won it all since 1988 and the Yankees haven't since 2009. I promise you that the various TV honks involved in the World Series are praying for a Yankees-Dodgers Fall Classic. Mega-ratings!

The Dodgers would seem to have a better chance this year because the National League seems a bit weaker at the top and L.A. has won the past two pennants. The Yankees, meanwhile, might have to deal with the powerhouse Houston Astros in the ALCS. The Indians, Twins, Rays and A's aren't pushovers, either. The AL could have three 100-win teams.

This series also could be key for the top overall seed in the playoffs with the teams neck-and-neck for the best record (Houston is in play for that too). It's the first meeting between the Yankees and Dodgers since 2016 when L.A. took two of three in the Bronx. They haven't played at Dodger Stadium since 2013. New York will lose the designated hitter.

Los Angeles is favored on the MLB series line and for Friday behind NL Cy Young favorite Hyun-Jin Ryu (12-3, 1.64). The lefty leads the major league in ERA but does come off a loss in Atlanta. New York counters with southpaw James Paxton (9-6, 4.53).