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Oct. 25 (UPI) -- Baseball fans will be treated with the most star-studded World Series in history, starting with Game 1 between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees on Friday in Los Angeles. A record five former MVPs, who won six of the last seven awards, as well as expected 2024 winners Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge, will compete in the best-of-seven game series between the perennial powers.
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"Having two historic franchises like this going at it again, what a stage and show it's going to be," Judge told reporters Thursday at World Series media day.
The first pitch for Game 1 is scheduled for 8:08 p.m. EDT at Dodger Stadium. The World Series will air on Fox, and the Dodgers, who led MLB with 98 wins and topped the National League in home runs, are favorites to win their second championship in five years.
The Yankees, who led MLB in home runs and have one of the best bullpens this postseason, faced the Dodgers 11 previous times in the World Series. They won the title eight times, while the Dodgers won the last World Series meeting in 1981.
Like many of their previous matchups, these games will feature several of the most popular players in the world, including Ohtani, Judge, Mookie Betts, Juan Soto and Freddie Freeman, likely triggering viewership records.
"It is worldwide, I think that's what is going to make this World Series so special, so unique," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "You could easily argue that on a global scale, the Yankees and the Dodgers are the most followed, the most supported and the most visible.
"With our two great organizations, and the branding, it's going to be very visible."
This will be the first World Series to feature two players who hit 50 home runs in the same season, with Judge (58) and Ohtani (54). It also will be the first between the sport's largest markets in 43 years. And it's the second-consecutive World Series to include two teams that rank inside the Top 5 for the highest payrolls in baseball.
Ohtani, widely regarded as the best player in the game, leads the way with a $700 million contract.
That pact, combined with those of Judge ($360M), Betts ($365M), Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton ($325M), Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto ($325M) and Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole ($324M), exceeds $2.4 billion in total contract value, not including the cash made by fellow star signings Carlos Rodon, Freeman, Will Smith and Tyler Glasnow, among others.
The series also presentd another opportunity for Soto to improve even more on his stock this off-season, when the Yankees outfielder, in free agency, is expected to command a contract greater than $500 million.
Fans will need to dig into their own pockets if they want to attend World Series games. As of Friday morning, the least expensive ticket on the resale market for Game 1 was about $750. The least expensive ticket price for Game 3 in New York was about $1,000.
Cole is set to face fellow right-handed starter Jack Flaherty in the first pitching matchup of the series. The Yankees are expected to turn to Rodon, a left-handed pitcher, in Game 2, while the Dodgers will give the ball to the right-handed Yamamoto. The pitching matchup for Game 3 has not been finalized.
"We have to keep pressure on them by forcing them to score over and over again," Betts said, when asked about a key to beating the Yankees. "That's the only real way."
World Series
All games start at 8:08 p.m. EDT on Fox
Game 1: Yankees at Dodgers on Friday at Dodger Stadium
Game 2: Yankees at Dodgers on Fox on Saturday at Dodger Stadium
Game 3: Dodgers at Yankees on Fox on Monday at Yankee Stadium
Game 4: Dodgers at Yankees on Fox on Tuesday at Yankee Stadium
Game 5 (if necessary): Yankees at Dodgers on Fox on Wednesday at Dodger Stadium
Game 6 (if necessary): Dodgers at Yankees on Fox on Nov. 1 at Yankee Stadium
Game 7 (if necessary): Yankees at Dodgers on Fox on Nov. 2 at Dodger Stadium
