Part 5/9:
Interestingly enough, the Dodgers' narrative is not universally negative. Even with the recent success, there remains a section of baseball fans that cannot muster the same disdain for the Dodgers as they did for the Yankees. Historical context matters; the Yankees hold 27 championships which sets a benchmark that the Dodgers, with their eight titles, have yet to reach. Critics suggest that the Dodgers haven't earned the same level of fear or resentment simply because they haven’t dominated the postseason to the same extent as the Yankees.
Their recent victory in 2020, albeit surrounded by pandemic-impacted legitimacy questions, did put the Dodgers back on the map as serious contenders, or as some might see it, as opportunistic champions who “finally broke through.”