The Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers have met in the World Series twice, in 1916 and 2018, and Boston won both times, four games to one. They play in different leagues, so apart from those two series they meet only in interleague play. This guide covers the history of the matchup, the key games, and how the two teams' paths have crossed, with sources for the main facts. When people search "Red Sox vs Dodgers", they usually want either the history or the schedule for a current game. For a current game, use the official MLB schedule, because dates change.
The quick answer
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| World Series meetings | Two: 1916 and 2018 |
| 1916 result | Red Sox beat the Brooklyn Robins (now the Dodgers), 4 games to 1 |
| 2018 result | Red Sox beat the Dodgers, 4 games to 1 |
| Longest World Series game | 2018 Game 3: Dodgers 3, Red Sox 2, in 18 innings |
| Why so few meetings? | Different leagues, and Boston's long gaps between pennants |
The 1916 World Series
The first World Series meeting came in 1916, when the Dodgers franchise was the Brooklyn Robins. According to Wikipedia's page on the 1916 World Series, the Red Sox won four games to one and captured what was then a record fourth World Series title. CBS Sports notes that the Robins went 94-60 that year and won their first pennant since 1900.
Game 2 is the one baseball fans still talk about. Babe Ruth, then a Red Sox pitcher, started and went the full distance as Boston beat Brooklyn 2-1 in 14 innings. The Associated Press account in the Detroit News adds that the game took just 2 hours and 32 minutes. For decades it stood as the longest World Series game by innings.
The 2018 World Series
The teams met again 102 years later. As Wikipedia notes, the Red Sox defeated the Dodgers in five games for their ninth championship, and their fourth in 15 years since 2004. It was the second meeting between the two franchises. The Dodgers, who had lost the 2017 World Series, were trying to win their first title since 1988; Boston had won 108 games in the regular season, a team record.
| Game | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 (Boston) | Red Sox 8, Dodgers 4 |
| 2 (Boston) | Red Sox 4, Dodgers 2 |
| 3 (Los Angeles) | Dodgers 3, Red Sox 2 (18 innings) |
| 4 (Los Angeles) | Red Sox 9, Dodgers 6 |
| 5 (Los Angeles) | Red Sox 5, Dodgers 1 |
The scores come from the Champs or Chumps head-to-head record.
The 18-inning game
Game 3 of the 2018 series broke the record set by Game 2 in 1916. CBS Sports reports that it was the longest World Series game ever, at 18 innings and 7 hours and 20 minutes, and that the Dodgers won 3-2. It is also the only game of the series the Dodgers won. The Dodgers' win cut the Red Sox's lead to 2-1, but Boston took the next two games.
Interleague history
Because the teams are in different leagues, their regular-season meetings only began with interleague play in 1997. Before the 2018 World Series, the Red Sox led the interleague series 8-7, according to the same Associated Press report. The teams also met in July 2024 at Dodger Stadium, where the Dodgers' biggest wins were 4-1 on July 19 and 9-6 on July 21, per the Champs or Chumps record. Individual regular-season series change every year, so check an official source for the latest totals.
The Mookie Betts link
The 2018 matchup has a footnote that makes the teams' history stranger. Mookie Betts was the Red Sox's MVP candidate in 2018 and a key player in that title. According to CBS Los Angeles, he later joined the Dodgers, and 2020 was his first season there.
Why they meet so rarely
Two famous franchises meeting only twice in the World Series sounds odd. The explanation is that the Red Sox are in the American League and the Dodgers in the National League, so they meet only when both win their pennants in the same year. The Dodgers Nation history points to the long gap in Boston's World Series appearances, the 86-year stretch known as the "Curse of the Bambino", as a key reason. The Dodgers also moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 1958, which Wikipedia places 60 years before the 2018 meeting.
How to follow the next matchup
- Use the official MLB schedule. The MLB website lists each team's games, start times and probable pitchers.
- Check the date and time zone. Start times are shown in your local time on official apps, and they can change.
- Be careful with free streams. Unofficial streaming sites are full of fake play buttons and pop-ups. Our safety checklist for unfamiliar websites explains the warning signs, and the FTC malware guidance says what to do after a bad click.
- Verify stats from two sources. Our guide to finding reliable sources applies to sports data as well, and our explainer on judging multi-topic sites covers sports-content farms.
If you follow other sports, see our profile of tennis player Maja Chwalińska.
Frequently asked questions
How many times have the Red Sox and Dodgers met in the World Series? Twice: 1916 and 2018.
Who won? The Red Sox both times, each in five games.
What was the longest World Series game? Game 3 of 2018, an 18-inning Dodgers win lasting 7 hours and 20 minutes.
Did Babe Ruth play in the 1916 series? Yes. He pitched all 14 innings of Game 2, a 2-1 Red Sox win.
Why don't they play more often? They are in different leagues, so they meet only in interleague play or the World Series.
Are the Brooklyn Robins the same team as the Dodgers? Yes. The Brooklyn Robins franchise later became the Dodgers.
Where can I see the next game? On the official MLB schedule, which lists dates and broadcast details.
The takeaway
The Red Sox and Dodgers have met twice in the World Series, in 1916 and 2018, and Boston won both in five games. The 2018 series includes the longest game in World Series history, and the teams otherwise meet only in interleague play. For a current game, use the official MLB schedule and avoid unofficial streams.
