Nick Swisher says this is the World Series baseball has been waiting for

The Yankees and Dodgers are two of the most storied franchises in all of sports. And while their 11 prior World Series meetings may be the most common matchup in the history of the Fall Classic, it’s been 43 years since their last one. But on Friday night, that wait will come to an end as 2024’s two top seeds will take center stage at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California.

Nick Swisher, a former all-star and world champion with the Yankees, was a guest on the Throwbacks podcast with Matt Leinart and Jerry Ferrara and expressed his excitement over the latest installment of this cross-country rivalry.

“We've been waiting for this sort of matchup for decades,” Swisher said. “East Coast, West Coast. MVP [Shohei Ohtani] versus MVP [Aaron Judge]. Let's do this, baby. Let's square them up. Two heavyweight fighters.”

The Yankees haven’t appeared in a World Series since Swisher’s 2009 team defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in 6 games to win their record-extending 27th ring. But they’re back in it now in search of number 28 thanks in large part to Juan Soto’s heroics in the American League Championship Series as his 10th inning 3-run home run in Game 5 against Cleveland proved to be the difference. Swisher explained to Leinart and Ferrara just how impressed he’s been by the 25-year-old superstar.

“We've seen athletes at the top of their game and the fact that this kid is a kid - he's twenty-five years old - and commands the respect of everybody, it's been absolutely amazing to watch him go about his work. He has done nothing but take the New York Yankees from a championship caliber organization, even to a more championship caliber organization.”

Particularly impressive for Swisher was Soto’s approach at the plate in his now legendary 10th inning at bat. With 2 outs and facing a 1-2 count, Soto fouled off three straight pitches before ultimately getting the one he had been waiting for. “He got that heater,” said Swisher. “And let's be honest, it wasn't a bad fastball. It was a fastball up and away at ninety-five [mph] with good ride and the whole nine. And for some reason, I don't even know how it happened, [Soto] got on top of that fastball and was somehow able to draw it out there to right center, bro, and to leave the ballpark.”

Star power will be on full display as a combined 6 MVP’s will take part in this series, a number that doesn’t even include Clayton Kershaw’s 2014 MVP (he’s missing the series due to injury) or the two MVP awards likely headed to Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani for their achievements this past season.

“Our game is finally getting the matchup that we want,” Swisher emphasized on Throwbacks. “We’ve been waiting on this for a minute.”

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