The Yankees and the Dodgers faced off in the 2024 World Series, with Los Angeles coming out on top 4-1 in the series, giving Shohei Ohtani his first World Series ring. On Friday, Aaron Judge and New York came to town for a rematch, and it only took one inning for the biggest stars to put on a show.
Ohtani and Judge made sure the weekend series was must-watch for baseball fans. Judge went yard in his first at-bat of the game in the top of the first inning, and Ohtani responded with a home run of his own in the bottom of the frame.
Here’s a look at Judge and Ohtani’s home runs, as well as how the superstars have started the 2025 season.
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Aaron Judge home run vs. Dodgers
Judge wasn’t leading off for the Yankees, instead hitting second behind Trent Grisham. After Grisham grounded out, Judge stepped in the box with a 1-1 count. The slugger proceeded to send a Tony Gonsolin pitch 446 feet into center field.
WELCOME TO YANKEES VS. DODGERS 2025 #FridayNightBaseball pic.twitter.com/L4QKlwL0AI
— MLB (@MLB) May 31, 2025
The homer was Judge’s 19th of the year, putting him one behind Seattle’s Cal Raleigh for the AL lead and two behind Ohtani for the major league lead. He entered Friday night leading the majors in hitting with a .391 average, and his 47 RBs put him second in the AL behind Boston’s Rafael Devers, meaning the AL Triple Crown is definitely within his sights.
Judge struggled in last year’s World Series vs. L.A., posting a .222/.391/.444 line and connecting on just one HR with three RBIs. Even though Friday’s matchup is merely one in 162 regular season games, it had to feel good for the reigning AL MVP to destroy one of the first pitches he saw.
MORE: Inside Judge’s historic chase for .400 average
Aaron Judge stats 2025
Here are Judge’s 2025 stats entering Friday night’s game vs. the Dodgers:
- 55 games
- .391 batting average
- 81 hits
- 14 doubles
- 3 triples
- 18 home runs
- 47 RBI
- 51 runs
- .488 OBP
- .739 slugging
- 1.227 OPS
- 4.2 bWAR
MORE: How Yankees rebuilt roster after World Series loss
Shohei Ohtani home run vs. Yankees
Ohtani leads off for the Dodgers, and while some lead-off hitters tend to take the first pitch of the game, Ohtani doesn’t. Max Fried fired a fastball that made its way to the center of the plate, and the Dodgers star quickly deposited it into the seats in left center field.
SHOHEI OHTANI ANSWERS RIGHT BACK 🤯#FridayNightBaseball pic.twitter.com/PKH1PHWqDF
— MLB (@MLB) May 31, 2025
Ohtani’s 417-foot blast was about 30 feet short of Judge’s, but it all counts the same on the scoreboard. The Dodgers star entered Friday’s game leading the majors with 20 HRs and 59 runs, and like Judge, it had to feel good for him to go yard after failing to hit a homer in last year’s World Series.
Ohtani’s night wasn’t done there. Facing Fried again in the sixth inning, the southpaw pitcher again left a fastball over the middle for the Los Angeles slugger. Ohtani made him pay for it and hit it 383 ft. to right field.
Two home runs tonight for Shohei Ohtani and 22 on the year 🤯#FridayNightBaseball pic.twitter.com/aEn9Jp1v2k
— MLB (@MLB) May 31, 2025
Despite their respective struggles in the Fall Classic, it’s clear both players brought some extra juice to Friday’s high-profile series, making history in the process:
Tonight marks the first time in MLB history both reigning MVPs homered in the first inning of the same game.
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) May 31, 2025
Judge vs. Ohtani, 1st Inning pic.twitter.com/BEnHQDTRiA
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 31, 2025
Shohei Ohtani stats 2025
Here are Ohtani’s 2025 stats entering Friday’s game vs. New York.
- 54 games
- .292 batting average
- 63 hits
- 9 doubles
- 4 triples
- 20 home runs
- 35 RBI
- 59 runs
- .394 OBP
- .648 slugging
- 1.042 OPS
- 2.8 bWAR
