The World Series is about far more than Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani but they will be the star attractions when the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees clash in Game 1 on Friday night.
The likely league MVPs lead their teams into the Fall Classic on the back of remarkable regular seasons.
Judge slugged 58 home runs for the Yankees while Ohtani mashed 54 and also added a league-leading 59 stolen bases to become the first member of the 50-50 club in MLB history.
Judge says the Japanese superstar is the “best player in the game” with his impact felt as keenly in the Far East as it is in California.
“He hits for average, he hits for power, the speed,” Judge said. “Doing what he did this year with the 50 stolen bases, it got talked about a lot, but I don’t think it got talked about enough. He’s an impressive, impressive athlete, the best player in the game, and what an ambassador for this sport.
“You see him hustling around the diamond, and I think that just sets a great example for our youth and all the kids that are going to be watching this series.”
“The best player in the game. What an ambassador for this sport.”
Respect from one icon to another. 🤝 pic.twitter.com/hhqibibJei
— MLB (@MLB) October 22, 2024
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LA are favorites
The Dodgers go in as narrow favorites, largely due to the Yankees’ underwhelming second half of the regular season that saw them go 44-46 since June 15.
Playoff wins against Kansas City and Cleveland answered a few questions but the Dodgers represent a major step up in class.
“For us, nothing really changed,’’ Judge added. “We had to answer some tough questions and definitely had to make some adjustments at times. But it’s a confident group. Getting knocked down a couple times throughout the season built family unity.
“The journey is always a tough one, but that’s the fun in all this. There were good times and bad times, but getting to this point, this is where the real fun starts.
“For years, as a kid, I’d watch the Yankees play and win the World Series. That excitement, the emotion, the city comes alive. It’s special. I look forward to doing that with this group.”
📍1 E. 161st St, Bronx, NY. #RepBX pic.twitter.com/Jr3yzX0lvp
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 22, 2024
Both superstars have faltered
Judge has stuttered in the post-season, going 5-for-31 with 13 strikeouts, but Ohtani failed to sparkle when the Dodgers played the Yankees in a three-game series in June, even though the Yankees dropped two.
Ohtani went 2-for-13, and Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodon just about contained his admiration when he discussed the 30-year-old.
“He’s a good hitter, but anybody is pitchable,” Rodon said. “I’m going to give him his credit: he’s a great hitter, he’s got tremendous power, he sees the ball well. He can drive the ball out of any ballpark. He can probably hit it out of any stadium – like, out of the stadium, not just over the fence.”
So, can Judge turn round his post-season slump? And can Ohtani produce against the Yankee pitchers?
The answers may not decide the World Series but they could play a large part.
