Diamond Wars: A Look at the MLB’s Best & Oldest Rivalries

Baseball has always been a sport rich in tradition and history, and one of the most fascinating aspects of the game is the intense rivalries that have developed over the years. From the Yankees and Red Sox to the Dodgers and Giants, these heated matchups have captivated fans and created some of the most memorable moments in baseball history.

As excitement ramps up ahead of the 2025 season, we’ve highlighted some of the most heated MLB rivalries that you should take note of.

Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees

The Yankees–Red Sox rivalry is undoubtedly one of the biggest and oldest in baseball, and arguably one of the most heated in American sports overall. A rivalry that dates back to 1901, with more than 2,300 games played between the two clubs, the history of hatred between these two clubs runs deep. The rivalry has two signature inflection points: when hall-of-fame legend Babe Ruth was sold from the Red Sox to the Yankees in 1919 — which marked the beginning of a historically long drought of success for Boston that was dubbed the “Curse of the Bambino”— and the end of that drought in 2004, when Boston made a historic come-from-behind victory in the ALCS. They came back from a three-game deficit to beat the Yankees and win their first World Series in more than 80 years.

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New York Mets vs. New York Yankees

The crosstown, interleague rivalry in America’s biggest media market is known as the Subway Series. The Yankees and Mets are two of the biggest superpowers in Major League Baseball, constantly acquiring the biggest stars of the league (like Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Gerrit Cole, Max Scherzer, Francisco Lindor, and Pete Alonso). This rivalry is best known for the 2000 World Series, which became a World Subway Series. The Yankees bested the Mets in five games powered by Derek Jeter, Roger Clemens and Mariano Rivera.

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Chicago White Sox vs. Chicago Cubs

The battle for bragging rights in Chicago between the Cubs and the White Sox has many names: The Crosstown Classic, The Windy City Showdown and the City Series, just to name a few. The Cubs and White Sox played for the first time in October 1906, and the White Sox won 2-1. The two teams also met that year in the 1906 World Series, the only postseason matchup, where the White Sox won in six games.

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Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Diego Padres

Frequently known as the I-5 rivalry due to San Diego and Los Angeles being accessible by Interstate 5, the divisional rivalry between the Dodgers and Padres has picked up steam significantly in the last few years. Both teams have acquired superstar free agents, making their clubs among the biggest contenders to not only win their division, but the World Series. Entering 2025, the Dodgers hold a 523-427 edge in the all-time series over the Padres. The Dodgers and Padres have also met three time in postseason history. Most recently, the Dodgers won the 2024 NL Divisional Series in five games.

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Houston Astros vs. Texas Rangers

The Lone Star Series between the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers is an in-state rivalry that was also known as the Silver Boot Series. While the Astros used to be members of the NL, making this at one time an interleague rivalry that featured six games a season between the Rangers, Houston is also now a member of the American League, so the two teams play each other more. Entering the 2025 season, the Rangers narrowly hold the all-time edge in the head-to-head matchups, winning 140 games and losing 139.

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Chicago Cubs vs. St. Louis Cardinals

The rivalry between the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals is among the most bitter and contested in all of Major League Baseball. These two teams have played nearly 2,494 times, and are only separated by about 52 games in head-to-head wins. Known as the Route 66 rivalry and the I-55 rivalry, the Cardinals and Cubs play one another many times a season, with the better team usually winning the NL Central division.

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Los Angeles Angels vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

The Freeway Series between the Angels and Dodgers of Los Angeles is an interleague rivalry that features six games a year between the two clubs. While they have a different approach to spending and acquiring stars, the Dodgers and Angels still feature some of the biggest stars in baseball, such as Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Clayton Kershaw and Freddie Freeman. Entering 2025, the Angels and Dodgers have only played 148 times, with the Dodgers holding a 75 to 73 edge in head-to-head victories.

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New York Yankees vs. Houston Astros

While the rivalry between the Yankees and the Astros does not have a catchy name or a deep-rooted history, the animosity between the two clubs still stands. In the last 10 seasons, the Astros have beat the Yankees in the playoffs four times en route to two World Series championships. Learn more about the New York Yankees vs. Houston Astros.

San Francisco Giants vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

The inter-divisional rivalry between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco, the two dominant MLB franchises in California, is regarded as one of the longest-standing rivalries in American baseball. Entering the 2025 season, there have been 2,563 games played between the two franchises, with the Giants winning 1,284 to the Dodgers’ 1,279. Despite this, there has only been one postseason series between the two clubs, the 2021 NL Division Series, where the Dodgers won, 3-2.

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Milwaukee Brewers vs. Chicago Cubs

Another bitter rivalry within the NL Central is between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Chicago Cubs. Known casually as the I-94 Rivalry because the two teams’ ballparks are only 83 miles from one another off Interstate 94, the Cubs and Brewers have played 443 times. The Brewers hold an edge in the head-to-head (224-219) and the two teams have never met in the postseason. In 2021, Major League Baseball named the I-94 Rivalry in Baseball’s 5 Best Rivalries.

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More MLB Rivalries