NL West
Los Angeles Dodgers
Dodger Stadium · Los Angeles
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a Major League Baseball team in the National League West division.
Interleague Rivalry
Dodgers–Angels
The Freeway Series
The interleague rivalry between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels, two clubs sharing the Greater Los Angeles area. Its name comes from the freeway network connecting the two ballparks, most notably Interstate 5.
The Rivalry
The Angels and Dodgers crossed paths in spring exhibitions from the early 1960s, but their rivalry as a regular-season fixture began when Major League Baseball introduced interleague play in 1997. The clubs sit roughly 30 miles apart, and the matchup grew into a symbolic contest between Los Angeles County and Orange County. Because the teams play in different leagues, regular-season standings rarely intersect, so the series has traded on regional bragging rights and star power. The pairing gained extra spice in 2014, when Angels outfielder Mike Trout and Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw both won league MVP awards. Tension peaked off the field in December 2023, when Shohei Ohtani left the Angels to sign a record contract with the Dodgers.
What's at Stake
The rivalry is about Southern California supremacy: Los Angeles glamour against Orange County identity, with two fan bases sharing freeways, media markets and the same metropolitan area. Recent years have tilted decisively toward the Dodgers, who have won consecutive World Series titles, while the Angels have lagged. Ohtani's defection added a personal edge, ensuring that even with no playoff implications, every Freeway Series carries pride and regional honor.
Famous Moments
- 1962 — The Angels edged the Dodgers 6-5 in a spring training exhibition, the franchises' first meeting.
- 1997 — The Dodgers won the first regular-season Freeway Series game 4-3 as interleague play debuted.
- 2014 — Mike Trout and Clayton Kershaw won their leagues' MVP awards, the first MVPs from the same metropolitan area in one season.
- 2023 — Shohei Ohtani left the Angels to sign a $700 million contract with the Dodgers, drawing fierce backlash from Angels fans.
The Two Teams
Plan the Trip
The Freeway Series is the easiest two-ballpark trip in baseball, with Dodger Stadium and Angel Stadium roughly a 30-mile drive apart along Interstate 5. Dodger Stadium delivers a classic 1962 setting in the Los Angeles hills, while Angel Stadium offers a relaxed Orange County ballgame near Anaheim's theme-park district. Catching both teams at home in a single visit pairs big-city energy with suburban ease.
Frequently Asked Questions: Dodgers–Angels
The two teams first met in 1962. The interleague rivalry between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels, two clubs sharing the Greater Los Angeles area. Its name comes from the freeway network connecting the two ballparks, most notably Interstate 5.
The rivalry is about Southern California supremacy: Los Angeles glamour against Orange County identity, with two fan bases sharing freeways, media markets and the same metropolitan area. Recent years have tilted decisively toward the Dodgers, who have won consecutive World Series titles, while the Angels have lagged. Ohtani's defection added a personal edge, ensuring that even with no playoff implications, every Freeway Series carries pride and regional honor.
Yes — they meet in an interleague series during the 2026 MLB season.
Los Angeles Dodgers host at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles; Los Angeles Angels play at Angel Stadium in Anaheim.