Shohei Ohtani & Aaron Judge's World Series meeting breaks 63-year untouched MLB milestone

Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge were the top two players in a wide variety of offensive categories this year. The primary one, and the most eye-catching of all the metrics, was the home runs. They were the only two players to hit more than 50 home runs. Their meeting in the World Series is just the second time that two players with more than 50 bombs will play in the World Series.

The last time it happened, the two players were on the same team. In 1961, Roger Maris hit 61 home runs, a then-AL record that Judge broke in 2022. Mickey Mantle, Maris' teammate, also had 54 for the New York Yankees. This time, the two 50+ home run hitters won't be teammates.

Judge hit an MLB-high 58 home runs. Ohtani was just behind with 54. Now, they've helped guide their respective teams, Yankees and Dodgers, to the World Series and one of them will likely be among the most impactful players should his side win.

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Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani enter history with World Series matchup

For years, Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani have battled for the title of the best player in baseball. They've traded MVPs and statistics. This year, since they're in two separate leagues, they can (and both almost assuredly will) both win MVP.

Aaron Judge will take on Shohei Ohtani in the World Series (Imagn)

Should they do so, it would be just the seventh time (in the Divisonal Era - 1969) and first since 2012 that the two MVPs faced off in the World Series. Buster Posey of the San Francisco Giants took on Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers that year.

Add that to the fact that Judge and Ohtani are just the second pair of 50-homer hitters to play and the first to actually face off in the World Series, and it becomes clear that this is a historic, unprecedented matchup.

Ohtani has largely played well even if not quite up to his Herculean standard for the LA Dodgers. Judge has struggled but came alive for two home runs in the five-game ALCS victory for the New York Yankees over the Cleveland Guardians. Starting tonight, they will clash in a historic bout for baseball's top prize.