DODGERS' SHOHEI OHTANI WON'T PITCH IN ALL-STAR GAME

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts says he is not ready to make it official, but moving Ohtani’s pitching start this week means he would have to pitch on short rest in the All-Star Game and the Dodgers are not likely to ask him to do that

After a recent change to his pitching schedule, Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani will likely just be a hitter in the All-Star Game later this month in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

LOS ANGELES — It’s not official. But it’s obvious.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts acknowledged Friday that the decision to move back Shohei Ohtani’s start this week will make him unavailable to pitch in the All-Star Game later this month.

“I think so,” said Roberts, who is the National League manager for this year’s game. “I haven’t formally said it. But if you just kind of do the math, it would be hard to imagine. But I don’t have to make that decision quite yet.”

The full rosters for the All-Star Game will be announced on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. on FOX (Ch. 11). Ohtani has already earned the starting spot as the NL DH by leading all players in voting during the first phase.

Ohtani started Friday night against the San Diego Padres and is lined up to start again next Friday against the Arizona Diamondbacks. That would put him on just three days of rest before the All-Star Game in Philadelphia. The Dodgers have asked him to pitch on as little as five days of rest just once this season.

Ohtani has only pitched in the All-Star Game once. He started for the American League in 2021 at Coors Field in Denver.

Roberts will have two strong options when choosing his starting pitcher even with Ohtani out of the mix – Milwaukee Brewers flamethrower Jacob Misiorowski or hometown 1Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sánchez.

Ohtani had an 0.74 ERA through his first 10 pitching starts this season but has slipped since then. Over three starts before Friday, Ohtani allowed 11 runs (nine earned) in 18⅔ innings.

Dalton Rushing has been behind the plate for each of those starts, and the two were visibly at odds during Ohtani’s start in Minnesota last week.

“Some of it is Shohei hasn’t had his best stuff recently and that’s the truth,” Roberts said before Friday’s game. “The fastball command hasn’t been what it was earlier in the season. The sweeper hasn’t been the same. He’s started using the split a little bit more recently, which he was using a lot more earlier in the season. So there’s a lot of variables outside of just saying it’s the catcher.”

RUSH POWER

Rushing has been surging at the plate, going 8 for 18 (.444) with a double and two home runs in five games through Thursday. He hit just .179 (15 for 84) in 29 games before that.

Roberts gets some credit for the turnaround. Before last Saturday’s game in San Diego, he went to Rushing with some hitting advice, backed up by video.

“He’s taken it and run with it,” Roberts said. “It was just more of a cue on who he is as a hitter, getting back to finding his particular strike zone versus trying to chase the pitcher all around the hitting zone.

“I pulled some video to show when he is good and what he’s been doing the last couple months. … It kind of landed with him. I ran it by the hitting coaches, so I didn’t go rogue. I got their blessing.”

MAKING PROGRESS

After ruling both catcher Will Smith and utility man Kiké Hernandez out for a return before the All-Star break, both have made progress in their recoveries during the homestand.

Roberts said Smith has been throwing and even hit in the batting cage on Thursday. Smith has been out since June 5 with an inflamed disc in his neck.

Hernandez took batting practice on the field with the team Friday. He has been out since May 26 with an oblique strain suffered in his second game back after recovering from elbow surgery.

UP NEXT

Padres (RHP Griffin Canning, 1-5, 7.09 ERA) at Dodgers (RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 8-5, 2.67 ERA), Saturday, 7:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570 AM

- BILL PLUNKETT

DODGERS' SHOHEI OHTANI, YANKEES' AARON JUDGE UNANIMOUS MVPS

Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images

Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge make up the pinnacle of their profession, baseball's two biggest stars representing its two most prestigious franchises. Their meeting in last month's World Series solidified it -- and their latest honor commemorated it.

Ohtani and Judge captured the Most Valuable Player awards in their respective leagues Thursday, both doing so unanimously. Ohtani won his third in four years, all of them coming by unanimous vote. Judge's second -- which comes two years after he edged Ohtani for the American League honor with a home-run-record-breaking season -- came on the heels of one of the best offensive performances in baseball history.

And yet the exploits of Judge's season somehow paled in comparison to what his National League counterpart accomplished over the past 12 months.

In that time, Ohtani signed an unprecedented $700 million contract, became the first 50/50 player in baseball history, helped his Los Angeles Dodgers defeat Judge's New York Yankees for the championship and ultimately became the first full-time designated hitter to win an MVP -- all while rehabbing a second major elbow surgery that prevented him from pitching.

"I'm very happy, obviously, to win the award," Ohtani, speaking through an interpreter, said on a conference call. "My goal was to be able to pitch and contribute offensively, and the fact that I knew I wasn't going to be able to pitch this season just made me focus more on my offensive game. Fortunately, I was able to produce and get this award, which is very humbling."

Ohtani became the 12th player to win three MVPs and the second to do so within his first seven seasons, joining Stan Musial, according to ESPN Research. Before Ohtani, Frank Robinson was the only player to win the award in both leagues (1961 NL, 1966 AL).

Ohtani led the NL in homers (54), RBIs (130) and OPS (1.036) while adding 59 stolen bases -- 33 more than his previous career high. His first season as a Dodger began with his longtime interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, being indicted for stealing millions from Ohtani in a betting scandal and ended in World Series victory, a fitting capstone to Ohtani's first trip to the playoffs. In between, Ohtani set the Dodgers' single-season record for home runs, stole more bases than any Japanese-born player in baseball history, became the first DH to lead his league in wins above replacement and joined Ty Cobb as the only player to finish within the top two in the majors in both homers and steals.

Before Ohtani, nobody had ever won multiple MVPs unanimously, let alone three.

"Obviously I moved to a new league and everything's been kind of a new experience," Ohtani said. "There's so many great players in the National League, obviously, and to be able to win the award unanimously is a great feeling. I'm very proud of that. Hopefully in the upcoming seasons I'll continue to be able to perform to this high level."

Judge and Ohtani each captured all 30 first-place votes from the Baseball Writers' Association of America. New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor finished second to Ohtani with 23 second-place votes, and Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte finished third, earning five second-place votes. In the AL, Bobby Witt Jr., the Kansas City Royals' young superstar shortstop, received all 30 second-place votes. Juan Soto, the high-profile free agent who spent all season batting in front of Judge in the Bronx, finished third.

Judge led the majors in homers (58), RBIs (144), OPS (1.159) and FanGraphs wins above replacement (11.2) in a 2024 season that saw the 6-foot-7, 282-pound slugger spend most of his time in center field and lead the Yankees to a pennant. Judge's 223 adjusted OPS was the highest among right-handed hitters since 1900, according to ESPN Research. He became the third player with at least 50 homers and an adjusted OPS of 200 or more, joining Babe Ruth and Barry Bonds.

Judge is the seventh Yankee to win multiple MVPs, joining Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Alex Rodriguez and Roger Maris. Before Judge, Mantle's 1956 season was the only one in Yankees history to yield a unanimous MVP vote.

Since his first full season in 2017, when he was voted AL Rookie of the Year and finished second in MVP voting, Judge leads the majors in FanGraphs wins above replacement (51.4), weighted runs created plus (176), slugging percentage (.611) and home runs (311) despite sitting out significant time in three of those eight seasons. He broke the AL home run record in 2022, going deep 62 times, but he was better in practically every other offensive category in 2024, slashing .322/.458/.701 despite a brutal first month.

"March and April were not my friend this year," Judge, who did not take part in the standard BBWAA conference call, told MLB Network. "It's a long season. You're going to go through some ups, you're going to go through some downs. It's just about leaning on your teammates, your family and just putting in the work. I think that's what it comes down to -- just keep putting in the work and things are going to change. You can't mope. You can't feel sorry for yourself. Especially in New York -- nobody's going to feel sorry for you."

Of Judge's 58 home runs in 2024, a whopping 23 gave his team the lead. But his season ended in bitter fashion, with Judge going 4-for-18 in the World Series and making a key error -- dropping a fly ball to help set up what became a five-run fifth inning -- in the decisive Game 5 on Oct. 30.

Six days later, Ohtani underwent surgery to repair a labrum tear in his left, non-throwing shoulder, the result of an injury he sustained on an attempted steal in Game 2 of the World Series. Ohtani has since removed the stitches from his surgically repaired shoulder and is focusing on range-of-motion exercises in the early stages of his ramp-up.

"The goal is to be ready for Opening Day. That includes hitting and pitching," Ohtani said. "But we are kind of taking our time, obviously. We want to make sure that I'm healthy first; we're not going to rush anything."

It wasn't until his fourth season in the big leagues that Ohtani emerged as a two-way force. He came over from Japan and made nine starts for the Los Angeles Angels before sustaining a tear in his ulnar collateral ligament that ultimately led to Tommy John surgery in 2018, restricting him to DH for most of his first two years. The 2021 season -- coming off a brutal showing in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season -- was the start of a historic three-year stretch in which Ohtani produced a .964 OPS with 124 homers and 57 stolen bases, and also a 2.84 ERA and 542 strikeouts in 428⅓ innings.

A second UCL repair followed, preventing Ohtani from pitching beyond August 2023. It did not prevent another dream-like season. Ohtani dismissed outsized pressure, focused on becoming a better base stealer and produced some of the season's most memorable moments even before hoisting the World Series trophy. He hit a walk-off grand slam to join the 40/40 club and put together one of history's best single-game performances -- with three home runs, two steals and 10 RBIs in Miami on Sept. 19 -- to reach the 50/50 mark and solidify his first postseason berth.

Ohtani is unquestionably at the top of the sport.

Judge is up there, too.

"When I hear that, I think people are coming for the spot," Judge told MLB Network. "You got to keep putting in the work."

- Alden Gonzalez, ESPN Staff Writer

TWO-TIME AL MVP SHOHEI OHTANI FINALIST FOR FIRST NL AWARD

NEW YORK -- Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani is a finalist for his first National League MVP award -- after twice winning the American League honor -- and is joined among the top three in NL voting by New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor and Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte.

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge is a finalist for his second AL MVP in three seasons, joined by Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and Yankees outfielder Juan Soto.

Ohtani was unanimously voted the AL MVP in 2021 and 2023 as a two-way star for the Los Angeles Angels and finished second to Judge in 2022. Ohtani signed a record $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers in December, but he didn't pitch in 2024 following elbow surgery.

Ohtani would join Frank Robinson for the Cincinnati Reds in 1961 and the Baltimore Orioles in 1966 as the only players to win the MVP award in both leagues.

The Pittsburgh Pirates' Paul Skenes is a finalist in balloting for the NL Cy Young Award and NL Rookie of the Year. The 22-year-old right-hander becomes the fifth rookie to finish among the top three in Cy Young Award voting, after Mark Fidrych (1976), Fernando Valenzuela (1981), Dwight Gooden (1984) and José Fernández (2013). The only one to win both awards in the same year was Valenzuela in the NL.

Ohtani hit .310, stole 59 bases and led the NL with 54 homers and 130 RBIs exclusively as a designated hitter, becoming the first player with 50 or more homers and 50 or more stolen bases in a season. He helped the Dodgers to the World Series title, playing the final three games with a torn labrum in his left shoulder.

Ohtani would become the first primary DH to win an MVP award.

The top three finishers in voting for each of the major individual awards presented annually by the Baseball Writers' Association of America were announced Monday night on MLB Network. Winners will be revealed next week.

Balloting was conducted before the postseason.

Ohtani would become the 12th player with three or more MVPs, joining Barry Bonds (seven) and Jimmie Foxx, Joe DiMaggio, Stan Musial, Roy Campanella, Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle, Mike Schmidt, Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols and Mike Trout (three each).

Shohei Ohtani would join Frank Robinson for Cincinnati in 1961 and Baltimore in 1966 as the only players to win the MVP award in both leagues. Allison Dinner/EPA

Lindor batted .273 with 33 homers, 91 RBIs and 29 steals, while Marte hit .292 with 36 homers and 95 RBIs.

Judge led the major leagues with 58 homers, 144 RBIs and 133 walks while hitting .322. Witt topped the big leagues with a .332 average while hitting 32 homers with 109 RBIs. Soto batted .288 with 41 homers and 109 RBIs.

Atlanta's Chris Sale and Philadelphia's Zack Wheeler are NL Cy Young Award finalists along with Skenes, who made his big league debut May 11 and went 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA in 23 starts, striking out 170 in 133 innings.

Detroit's Tarik Skubal, Kansas City's Seth Lugo and Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase are the finalists for the AL honor. Clase becomes the first reliever to finish among the top three in voting since San Diego's Trevor Hoffman came in second in 2006 NL balloting.

Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill and Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio joined Skenes as finalists for NL Rookie of the Year. Yankees right-hander Luis Gil and catcher Austin Wells are AL finalists along with Baltimore outfielder Colton Cowser.

Cleveland's Stephen Vogt, Kansas City's Matt Quatraro and Detroit's AJ Hinch are finalists for AL Manager of the Year. The three NL finalists were all first-year managers with their teams: the Mets' Carlos Mendoza, Milwaukee's Pat Murphy and San Diego's Mike Shildt.

- Associated Press

CHIBA LOTTE MARINES TO POST JAPANESE STAR ROKI SASAKI TO MLB

The Chiba Lotte Marines announced Saturday they will begin the process of posting Roki Sasaki, the Japanese right-hander considered one of the most talented pitchers in the world, paving the way for the 23-year-old to join Major League Baseball in 2025.

The posting system is the method of transfer between MLB and Nippon Professional Baseball that makes him available to all 30 teams.

Sasaki, nicknamed "The Monster of the Reiwa Era," throws a fastball that regularly reaches triple digits and complements it with a frontline split-fingered fastball and a slider.

Because of his age, Sasaki is considered an international amateur free agent and can sign only a minor league contract, which drastically limits how much teams can pay him -- and how much Lotte reaps through the associated 20% posting fee. Players who are at least 25 with six years played in a foreign league can sign major league contracts when posted. Had he waited, Sasaki could have sought a deal for hundreds of millions of dollars, similar to Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in late December for 12 years and $325 million. Instead, Sasaki, who asked to be posted last year but was denied by the team, will take a similar path as Shohei Ohtani, the superstar who arrived in MLB at 23 and signed with the Los Angeles Angels for $2.3 million.

The timing of Sasaki's posting -- which has yet to be set, sources said -- will determine whether he falls into the 2024 or 2025 international amateur class. When a player is posted, he has a 45-day window to sign with a major league team. Though Sasaki would join an organization on a minor league deal, a team can add him to its major league roster before the 2025 season.

International amateur bonus pools are capped, with the top teams this year able to spend just over $7.1 million, larger-market, higher-spending teams at $4.6 million and the rest in between. Teams can add up to 60% of their allotted pools by trading for other teams' bonus-pool money. Most teams have spent the majority of their 2024 bonus pools already, with the signing period for international free agents running from Jan. 15 to Dec. 15 annually.

Were the official posting to be delayed until mid-December -- it typically takes weeks to complete the process -- Sasaki could sign when the 2025 international period opens Jan. 15. Though most teams have commitments lined up for players in that period -- the top bonus pools are around $7.5 million and the bottom around $5.1 million -- they could trade for international bonus space or free up money by not honoring nonbinding commitments they have made to teenagers from Latin American countries, an infrequent but not unheard of occurrence.

Roki Sasaki, a 23-year-old right-hander who plays for Japan's Chiba Lotte Marines, is considered one of the most talented pitchers in the world. AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko

For a player of Sasaki's talent, teams are likely to do whatever they can to convince him to sign.

Sasaki emerged as a national star in Japan five years ago during Koshien, the national high school baseball tournament that is one of the country's biggest annual sporting events. Over an eight-day period, he threw more than 500 pitches, including a 12-inning, 21-strikeout, 194-pitch complete game.

In 2022, at 20, Sasaki threw a 19-strikeout perfect game for Lotte and followed in his next start a week later with eight more perfect innings before being pulled. Sasaki's immense fastball velocity shown during the 2023 World Baseball Classic -- he averaged 100.5 mph in Japan's semifinal start against Mexico -- introduced him to an international audience, and though his request to join MLB after the 2023 season went unmet by Lotte, the inevitability of his departure only grew.

Sasaki did not sign his 2024 contract until January, just before Lotte began spring training. Rarely do players hold out from signing their deals until then, and the episode wound up a precursor for what would come after a 10-5 season in which Sasaki posted a 2.35 ERA, struck out 129, walked 32 and gave up two home runs in 111 innings.

Often players are posted when Japanese teams regard them as having "earned" the privilege, multiple sources familiar with past postings said. Though Sasaki has shown flashes of brilliance over his 394⅔ innings -- going 29-15 with a 2.10 ERA and 505 strikeouts against 88 walks in 64 starts over four seasons -- he would not arrive in MLB with the same sort of résumé as his predecessors.

The rousing success of Japanese players in MLB has been one of the game's biggest stories of the past decade, with soon-to-be three-time MVP Ohani, Yamamoto, left-handers Shota Imanaga (Chicago Cubs) and Yusei Kikuchi (free agent), and outfielders Seiya Suzuki (Cubs) and Masataka Yoshida (Boston Red Sox) all going through the posting system. Right-hander Kodai Senga joined the New York Mets without a posting fee after 11 seasons with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks.

MLB teams had braced for the possibility that Lotte would hold onto Sasaki for at least two more years, allowing him to reach 25 and for the organization to experience the full financial benefit of the posting. NPB teams control players' rights for nine seasons before they reach free agency and can operate outside of the posting system. Had Lotte waited until after the 2026 season, it could have received tens of millions of dollars via the posting fee paid by the acquiring team. The Dodgers paid the Orix Blue Wave more than $50 million after signing Yamamoto.

Los Angeles will be linked strongly to Sasaki, but assuming he will go to the Dodgers is premature. While the presence of Sasaki's Samurai Japan teammates Ohtani and Yamamoto in Los Angeles is advantageous, the attention they bring -- and the media horde that follows them -- adds a different element than other teams.

Throughout the 2024 season, MLB presidents of baseball operations and general managers were fixtures at Sasaki's starts. Sasaki is close with right-hander Yu Darvish, whose team, the San Diego Padres, figures to be a potential landing spot. Both New York teams have extreme interest in Sasaki, though he could also opt for an organization with pedigree and experience (the Chicago Cubs), a team in an international city (the Toronto Blue Jays), one whose past success with Japanese players still resonates (Darvish started his career with the Texas Rangers) or those whose reputation for bringing the best out in players might appeal (the Tampa Bay Rays). Plenty of other franchises can -- and will -- make strong appeals to Sasaki once he is posted.

Unlike a traditional free agency, Sasaki's comes with a financial ceiling, making him a bargain to all 30 teams. Sasaki's talent is not in doubt to anyone, even as average fastball velocity this season dropped by two ticks, down to just above 97 mph. Sasaki showed plenty of ability to ramp it up to triple digits when desired, and he could soon develop into the hardest-throwing starter in MLB. His best pitch is still the splitter, whose movement profile makes it unique, even in an MLB where the split has come back into vogue in recent seasons.

Durability is the biggest question with Sasaki. His career high in innings is 129⅓, set in 2022. This year, he made 18 starts after a torn oblique and right arm soreness caused him to sit out about a quarter of his outings.

The recruitment of Sasaki comes amid a free agent period that is expected to move more quickly than recent years and adds a layer of intrigue into an offseason in which Sasaki would join free agent outfielder Juan Soto and right-hander Corbin Burnes as the most coveted players available -- at a fraction of the price.

- Jeff Passan, ESPN

DODGERS' SHOHEI OHTANI HAS AHPULDER SURGERY AFTER DISLOCATION

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani holds his arm after being injured while trying to steal second base during Game 2 of the World Series against the New York Yankees on Oct. 26.Godofredo A. Vásquez / AP

Shohei Ohtani underwent shoulder surgery Tuesday to repair a labrum tear sustained during the World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers announced, adding that they expect him to be ready for spring training.

Ohtani suffered what the Dodgers initially described as a subluxation -- or slight dislocation -- of his left shoulder on an attempted steal of second base in Game 2 of the World Series on Oct. 26. He then played the next three games at Yankee Stadium in noticeable pain, wincing after some of his swings and recording just one hit in 11 at-bats while Los Angeles clinched the championship.

Before the injury, the Dodgers were hoping Ohtani could restart his throwing program earlier than usual this offseason in anticipation of him returning to a two-way role in 2025. It is unclear how this surgery, performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles, might impact the timing of that, but it was done on Ohtani's non-throwing shoulder.

Ohtani was throwing his regularly scheduled bullpen sessions, the last step in his rehabilitation from a second major elbow surgery, leading up to the time when he was injured.

The last time the Dodgers won the World Series, in 2020, Cody Bellinger suffered a similar injury while celebrating with Enrique Hernandez and underwent labrum surgery that November. Bellinger was in the lineup for Opening Day in 2021, though his offensive numbers dropped dramatically over the next two seasons.

However, Bellinger injured his right shoulder, which he leads with when hitting. Ohtani injured his back shoulder, considered to be less of an issue in the batter's box.

- Alden Gonzalez, ESPN Staff Writer

LOS ANGELES DODGERS, ALL OF THEM, ARE WORLD CHAMPS

NEW YORK -- The 2024 World Series is over: Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers are champions in five games, the first title for him and, for the team, the eighth in franchise history.

There were heroes and goats, as there are in every Fall Classic, but no storybook showdown of Ohtani versus Aaron Judge. There were dramatic grand slams, stunning comebacks and horrible defensive miscues. The New York Yankees' title drought reached 15 years, and their captain, Judge, faced struggles that sometimes reached nightmarish levels.

In the end, what we got was a pure baseball matchup decided by baseball factors, and mostly by the fact the Dodgers had more good players than their opponent. They earned it -- as a group.

"They were the better team in this series," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said, while praising his own heartbroken club.

This championship, and the way Los Angeles achieved it, is less about the names on the marquee and more because of the ensemble. It belongs to them all, as much to the supporting cast of Teoscar Hernandez, Gavin Lux and Max Muncy as to Ohtani and fellow stars Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts. To anonymous relievers as much as more heralded starters such as Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Jack Flaherty. None of this is by accident. The Dodgers won this way because they were built to win this way.

Every season, the Dodgers rank near the top of the majors in categories such as rookie WAR and in total appearances on the transaction wire. Think about that: With all of the resources poured into the L.A. payroll -- the Dodgers spent more than $1 billion this past offseason -- the Andrew Friedman-led front office never stops tweaking the roster mix, addressing needs both immediate and imagined. The Dodgers excel at turning other teams' excesses into gold, with journeymen such as Ryan Brasier, Brent Honeywell and Anthony Banda becoming crucial contributors to the bullpen. Every bit as much attention is paid to the bottom 10 slots on the 40-man roster as it is to the top three.

"It's about getting the right players, the right people," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "Talent is a lot, but it's not everything. You still have to be cohesive. I just think we do a great job of getting the right players in our clubhouse."

The Dodgers have as much star power as any team we've seen in recent years, but they could never be accused of taking a stars-and-scrubs approach, or constructing a top-heavy roster. Depth or stars? We'll have both, thank you.

"We have a culture here at the big league level," Roberts said. "But the scouting and player development is second to none."

After a second title in five years, the Dodgers, from top to bottom, are what Roberts says -- second to none.

THIS WAS SUPPOSED to be the Ohtani-Judge World Series.

Just look at the cover of the official program. On the left is Ohtani, his face exuding focus and exertion, his arms pointing behind him in the act of the backswing that completes the arc of one of his mighty hacks.

Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge grace the cover of the official 2024 World Series program. 

Judge is on the right, his mouth open in the midst of a shout, his head turned as he presumably looks at the bedlam in the dugout in the aftermath of one of his missile-like blasts into the farthest expanses of Yankee Stadium.

It would be Ohtani vs. Judge, in the ultimate version of a baseball hero's journey, one with no antagonists but two protagonists on a parallel odyssey in pursuit to slay the same dragon: a career-first championship.

Thus was the hook for the resumption of baseball's most prolific Fall Classic matchup, Yankees-Dodgers, the dream showdown between two of baseball's most storied franchises.

The hype wasn't without justification. This truly was an unprecedented clash between perhaps the best-right-now players in the sport, starring for marquee franchises in the glitziest of markets and biggest of stages. Together during the regular season, Judge and Ohtani hit .315/.423/.672 with 112 homers, 274 RBIs, 256 runs and 69 stolen bases. That's from two players.

This pairing of the game's two best players just hasn't happened very often in World Series history. It's easy to lose yourself in a debate about just who was considered the best in the game at any point, but the clear precedents are few: Ty Cobb vs. Honus Wagner in 1909. Ted Williams vs. Stan Musial in 1946. George Brett vs. Mike Schmidt in 1980.

Let's imagine the Platonic ideal as the climactic scene of "The Natural," when Roy Hobbs -- "the best there ever was" -- homers into the stratosphere, turning another Knights disappointment into an instant pennant. We've never had that payoff -- a championship-winning, come-from-behind home run blasted by the game's best player.

None of the superstar matchups we highlighted had the type of payoff we might dream of, and most of them disappointed altogether. In the just-completed 2024 showdown, while Ohtani played well as a stalwart at the top of the lineup, his series was most noteworthy because he popped his shoulder on a slide, bringing the term "subluxation" into the mainstream. And Judge, homerless until the clinching game, was astonishing to watch for much of the series, after a season in which he recorded one of the best offensive showings in history.

"He's a great player," a sympathetic Roberts said after Game 4. "I have so much respect for Aaron. There's probably a little bit of maybe trying too hard right now."

That's baseball, though, isn't it? When we zero in on a star matchup like Ohtani against Judge, that's the possibility we're teasing, even as we know the nature of the sport itself makes the realization of the dream scenario so unlikely.

In fact, the most cinematic moment of the series was not produced by Ohtani, Judge -- or even each team's next best player, Betts or Juan Soto. That belonged to yet another star, Freeman, in a postseason when his injuries threatened to keep him out of the lineup. His two-out, Game 1-ending grand slam evoked immediate images of 1988 Kirk Gibson and inspired Joe Davis' epic, instantaneous Vin Scully homage.

There's a lesson in there, both about baseball and about the Dodgers. No matter who we zero in on, it's never about only one person. Anybody might be the one to realize a boyhood dream.

"Those are the kind of things, when you're 5 years old with your two older brothers and you're playing whiffle ball in the backyard," Freeman said, "those are the scenarios you dream about. Two outs, bases loaded in a World Series game."

As for Ohtani, he went 0-for-4 in the clincher and struck out with the bases loaded in the sixth. It didn't make his night any less sweet.

"The success of the postseason is very similar to how we were able to pull it off during the regular season," Ohtani said, via interpreter Will Ireton. "Again: The strength of the organization. Extremely honored to be a part of this."

CONSIDER THAT 29 different Dodgers played this October. Nearly everyone had meaningful roles along the way, including a bright-eyed rookie named Ben Casparius, who began October with all of three big league appearances under his belt. He ended up making a start in Game 4 as an opener.

This is every bit as much a characteristic of this era of Dodgers baseball as the presence of household names Ohtani, Betts, Freeman and Clayton Kershaw.

"It takes a lot to get here," Kershaw said. "Regardless of the talent level, everybody just assumes that we're going to show up, win 100 games and win the World Series. It takes every last guy."

Since the start of the 2021 season, the Dodgers have had 68 instances of a player recording at least one bWAR. Only the Brewers and Rays (69 each) have more. But the Dodgers have also had 17 instances of a player reaching an All-Star level of four BWAR, second only to the Astros (18). L.A.'s success is built on stars plus depth.

During the 12 full seasons since the Guggenheim Baseball Management group assumed control of the Dodgers, they've won 99.2 of every 162 regular-season games they've played. During the wild-card era, no team has done better over such a span, one that has included 11 first-place finishes, a 12-for-12 presence in the postseason bracket, four pennants and, now, two World Series titles. And there is no question the Dodgers' economics might play a role in the team's staying power. According to Cot's Contracts, the Dodgers have sported a top-five payroll in all of those seasons. Yet other teams make huge payroll splurges -- including the past two teams they beat, the Yankees in the World Series and the Mets in the National League Championship Series -- and the Dodgers are sometimes outspent by one or two competitors.

A level of investment measuring in the billions sets a clear expectation for everyone who dons Dodger blue: to do what they did Wednesday -- win it all. That expectation isn't just carried by Ohtani, Betts and Freeman, but everyone who steps into the clubhouse. They would have it no other way.

"You've got a lot of good people that care about winning and that want to win," second baseman Gavin Lux said. "None of them have egos."

The Dodgers' stars, including Ohtani, outperformed their New York counterparts, especially Judge, in the Series, but that was mainly because of Freeman's massive output as World Series MVP. That certainly played a part in L.A.'s triumph.

But in terms of the headliner matchup, at no point did this feel like an Ohtani-versus-Judge World Series. If anything, it was the Freeman series, but of course he isn't going to claim that title.

"Sitting here now, I've just been blessed to be able to play this game a long time and be in certain situations because of the group of guys, the organization," Freeman said. "Just from top to bottom, to be put into a situation. ... I mean, I got asked about the RBIs, and the RBIs are because there were guys on base. That's my teammates."

NO TEAM LOST more player games to injury in 2024 than the Dodgers. Even as they sprayed champagne and whooped it up in the clubhouse at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, the Dodgers had more than an entire upper-tier starting rotation on the injured list.

That's why Roberts -- whose postseason decisions have been maligned by Dodgers fans and detractors alike over the years -- deserves so much credit for this run. It's not just that Roberts, along with pitching coach Mark Prior, was able to navigate around the losses in the pitching staff. It's also that the skipper, as usual, folded in rookies such as outfielder Andy Pages, Landon Knack, Casparius and even Yamamoto, not a traditional rookie but a rookie nonetheless. It's also that when the Dodgers splurged at the trade deadline, adding Flaherty, Tommy Edman and Michael Kopech, they all fit so seamlessly on and off the field that it's easy to forget they didn't join the team until the end of July.

No game showed it more acutely than the Dodgers' Game 5 win against San Diego in the NL Division Series, when the big three went a combined 1-for-10 but four relievers backed Yamamoto on a two-hit shutout and Teoscar Hernandez and Enrique Hernandez hit solo homers for the game's only runs.

"He lets you be the player that you'll always be," Teoscar said of Roberts. "He lets you have fun. His communication with his players is one of the best that I've had in my career. I think that's why he's so special for this team and the players."

Roberts' masterpiece was Game 5, when he had to work around Flaherty's too-brief outing and a bullpen with perhaps too few adequately rested arms. So Roberts rode relief ace Blake Treinen for 42 pitches -- seven more than he got from Flaherty. And then he turned to Walker Buehler, his Game 3 starter only two days before, to slam the door in the ninth.

"That's one of the best games I've ever seen managed," Freeman said. "That was special."

Through it all, Roberts spreads the credit steadily away from himself, even as he joins the short list of managers who have won more than one World Series, a list made up almost entirely of current and future Hall of Famers, including Dodgers legends Walter Alston and Tommy Lasorda.

"Humbling," Roberts said. "Never thought I would be in that same conversation. I'm a part of a great organization, a lot of great people around me supporting me, and we've won a lot of ballgames. This is something I really wanted. I wanted this one."

If Roberts required validation that perhaps the team's shortened-season 2020 title did not supply -- he has it. He might just be another high-profile cog in the Dodgers' immense apparatus, but he's a vital one. He's also the manager of a dynasty.

This championship -- after a grueling marathon of 162 games plus a month of playoffs, cannot be diminished. It took all of the Dodgers to make it happen, right to the end.

When the Dodgers spilled out of the third-base dugout after the final out, Ohtani, Betts and Freeman were in the middle of the pile. So too were Casparius and Knack. Baseball's latest championship doesn't belong to any one of them, but all of them, under a banner dyed a rich Dodger blue, just how it was drawn up all along.

- Bradford Doolittle, ESPN Staff Writer

'ENCOURAGED' DODGERS SAY OHTANI HAS PARTIALLY DISLOCATED SOULDER

 

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani holds his arm after being injured while trying to steal second base. Godofredo A. Vásquez / AP

LOS ANGELES -- Shohei Ohtani suffered a subluxation of his left shoulder during an attempted steal of second base Saturday night, potentially putting his availability for the rest of this World Series in jeopardy.

The Los Angeles Dodgers, though, were "encouraged," manager Dave Roberts said after a 4-2 win over the New York Yankees at Dodger Stadium gave his team a 2-0 lead in this best-of-seven series.

Initial strength and range-of-motion tests came back positive, Roberts added. Ohtani, whose injury is defined as a minor dislocation, was expected to undergo an MRI on his shoulder Sunday.

The Dodgers boarded their flight to New York late Saturday night, but Ohtani is expected to undergo his examination in Los Angeles and then fly out to New York on his own to meet the team thereafter. The Dodgers will play Games 3, 4 and, potentially, 5 from Yankee Stadium on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

When asked if he believed the Dodgers were equipped to sustain the loss of Ohtani -- given how they've overcome injuries to other key hitters, including Mookie Betts, Max Muncy and, most recently, Freddie Freeman -- Roberts said: "I'm not there. I'm expecting him to be there. I'm expecting him to be in the lineup."

Ohtani, who did not sit out any games because of injury this season, was tagged out on the steal attempt at second base to end the seventh inning and was slow to get up, rolling on the ground while grabbing his left arm. When he was finally helped to his feet, Dodgers assistant athletic trainer Yosuke Nakajima held the superstar's left arm as the two disappeared into the clubhouse.

Ohtani did not speak to reporters postgame, though he departed without wearing a sleeve on his shoulder.

"The whole stadium went silent," Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez said of watching Ohtani go down. "You know how big Shohei is for this team. Hopefully he's OK, and the day off tomorrow will help him get back on the field on Monday."

- Alden Gonzalez, ESPN Staff Writer

AUCTION OF SHOHEI OHTANI 50/50 BALL TO PROCEED AMID LEGAL DISPUTE

An agreement reached Monday over the fate of the Shohei Ohtani 50/50 home run ball will allow the auction of that ball to proceed while the legal dispute over its ownership continues.

According to a statement from Goldin Auctions and lawyers for plaintiffs in the case, the agreement allows the auction house to continue receiving bids for the ball. Bidding as of Monday was $1.5 million, or $1.83 million with a buyer's premium. The money eventually paid for the ball will be placed in an account until the pending ownership litigation is resolved. Bidding is scheduled to close Oct. 22.

Two lawsuits have challenged who owns the ball. Max Matus, 18, filed a civil lawsuit in late September claiming he had possession of the ball and asking for a temporary injunction to halt the auction. Judge Spencer Eig of Florida's 11th Judicial Circuit Court did not grant the injunction. Instead, he scheduled an Oct. 10 hearing and ordered that the ball couldn't be sold before that date. Then a second fan, Joseph Davidov, filed suit claiming he was the rightful owner of the ball.

Goldin Auctions, in a statement Monday, said the parties involved in litigation agreed that the auction could continue as planned, "without any interference by the pending litigation." Goldin Auctions said, under the agreement, "all parties want the 50/50 ball to be auctioned by Goldin, and have agreed to convey any and all of their ownership interests in the 50/50 ball to the winner of the auction, giving the winner full assurance that they will receive free and clear title to the 50/50 ball."

A lawyer with the firm representing Matus confirmed the agreement, which was discussed during a brief hearing Monday in the Florida courtroom. Devon Workman of Workman Injury Law, representing Davidov, also confirmed the details of the agreement to ESPN.

Last week, ESPN asked several legal experts and lawyers involved in previous legal battles over home run ball ownership what issues might arise with Goldin putting the Ohtani ball up for auction while legal disputes play out. Those experts said controversy could affect the potential sale price and raise questions about the eventual clear title of the ball.

"It's difficult to try to figure out how to proceed, there's no perfect way," attorney John Uustal of the Kelley-Uustal law firm in Florida, which represents Matus, told ESPN. "The auction will proceed and whoever wins will have free and clear title. The dispute over ownership will continue in a regular lawsuit instead of an abbreviated, emergency fashion. The downside is the ball is going to get sold. It's the best way forward, all the parties agreed. ... [Judge Eig] asked us to get together to talk about it. [This] just resolves whether the auction can proceed; the lawsuit was still going to proceed either way. There's still got to be a full lawsuit with a jury trial over ownership."

With the auction agreement, the Oct. 10 hearing was canceled.

Both Davidov's and Matus's lawsuits say their respective plans would have been to keep the ball as a keepsake.

"We're grateful for the trust and support of all parties regarding the auction of the Shohei Ohtani 50/50 ball," Ken Goldin, founder and CEO of Goldin, said in a statement.

As of Monday, the $1.83 million sum for the Ohtani ball would rank it as the second most expensive baseball auctioned, beating Aaron Judge's 62nd home run ball from the 2022 season, which sold for $1.5 million in late 2022.

+ Dan Hajducky, ESPN

SOURCES: TOMOYUKI SUGANO HEADING TO MLB AFTER JAPANESE CAREER

MAGN

Right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano, the most successful Japanese pitcher of his generation to have spent his whole career in Nippon Professional Baseball, will come to Major League Baseball as an international free agent this winter, sources told ESPN.

Sugano, who turns 35 in a week, is in the midst of a renaissance season that has seen him post a 1.67 ERA over 24 starts for the Central League champion Yomiuri Giants. He is a two-time winner of the Sawamura Award -- the equivalent of the Cy Young -- two-time Central League MVP and four-time ERA champion, and his reemergence paved the way for him to finally reach MLB.

In 2020, the Yomiuri Giants posted Sugano, and he was expected to sign with a big league team. He never reached an agreement before the posting deadline expired, though, and wound up returning to Tokyo, where his uncle, legendary Giants manager Tatsunori Hara, continued to lead the team.

Hara retired before this season, and Sugano has pitched exceptionally for Shinnosuke Abe, the Giants' longtime catcher to whom Sugano threw for years. This season, Sugano has averaged 92 mph with his four-seam fastball and relied on a two-seamer. He uses both an 82 mph slider and an 87 mph cutter about 20% of the time, and he can bury a splitter at 86 mph and loop in a curveball at 77. Sugano, according to DeltaGraphs, has positive run values on all six pitches this season.

That six-pitch mix has flummoxed NPB hitters. Only Hiroto Takahashi, Chunichi's 22-year-old ace who is expected to join MLB down the road, has a better ERA, at 1.38. What Sugano lacks in velocity he has made up for in command and pitchability. Over 156⅔ innings this season, Sugano has walked only 16 and allowed just six home runs -- in a league with a home run rate that is half of MLB's -- while striking out 111.

Unlike players who are posted, international free agents have no restrictions on their signing. Players in NPB earn the right to international free agency after nine seasons. Sugano has spent a dozen years with the Giants, going 136-75, including a league-high win total at 15-3 this year, and he is still primed to pitch for Yomiuri in the Central Climax Series. He led the Central League in ERA four times, first as an MVP in 2014 and then three consecutive years from 2016 to 2018. He also was an MVP in 2020.

Almost all the best peers of Sugano's generation have already gone to MLB, including Shohei Ohtani, Yu Darvish, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Masahiro Tanaka, Kodai Senga, Kenta Maeda, Yusei Kikuchi and Shota Imanaga. At 6-foot-1 and 210 pounds, Sugano stayed healthy this season and more than doubled his inning output after throwing 77⅔ last year.

The starting pitching market this winter is shaping up as strong, led by Corbin Burnes, reigning National League Corbin Burnes winner Blake Snell, left-hander Max Fried and right-hander Jack Flaherty. If the Chiba Lotte Mariners decide to post Roki Sasaki, the 22-year-old fireball-throwing right-hander, the sweepstakes for his services will draw perhaps every team in MLB, with restrictions on his bonus making him a bargain in the same way Ohtani was before hitting free agency.

Kikuchi has been among the best pitchers in baseball in the second half, while Luis Severino, Nick Pivetta and Nathan Eovaldi all will have healthy interest. Sean Manaea, Nick Martinez and Michael Wacha could opt out of their deals, and Shane Bieber and Walker Buehler are attractive pillow contract options.

- 

SHOHEI OHTANI FIRST 50/50 PLAYER IN MAJOR LEAGUE HISTORY

Shohei Ohtani hits a three-run home run to become the first player in Major League Baseball history to reach 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season. (Photo by Kelly Gavin/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

MIAMI -- Shohei Ohtani became the first player in baseball history to reach the 50/50 club on Thursday, and he did so in dominant fashion -- with three home runs and two stolen bases in a six-hit game that led the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 20-4, postseason-clinching victory.

"It was something I wanted to get over as quickly as possible. And, you know, it's something that I'm going to cherish for a very long time," Ohtani said through an interpreter.

Ohtani opened the game with a line-drive double off the wall in right-center field against Miami Marlins starter Edward Cabrera, then picked up his 50th steal of the season by swiping third base. A second-inning single was followed by stolen base No. 51. Ohtani then added a two-run double in the third -- before getting thrown out trying to stretch it to a triple -- and followed with a 438-foot home run into LoanDepot Park's second deck in the sixth for his 49th home run.

Ohtani came to bat again with runners on second and third and two outs in the seventh inning, prompting many to wonder whether the Marlins would pitch to him. They did -- and Ohtani delivered, taking a 1-2 curveball from Mike Baumann and lofting it over the fence in left-center field for his 50th home run of the season.

Ohtani roared as he made his way up the first-base line, then stepped out of the dugout for a curtain call after celebrating with teammates. He then giggled as he made his way back into the first-base dugout the next half-inning -- after clobbering a 440-foot home run off Marlins infielder Vidal Brujan.

"To be honest, I'm the one probably most surprised," Ohtani said. "I have no idea where this came from, but I'm glad that it was going well today."

Ohtani's three homers, six hits and 10 RBIs all set career highs. The 10 RBIs set a Dodgers record. He became the first player with three home runs and two stolen bases in a game since at least 1900 and the first player since RBIs became official in 1920 with 10 RBIs and five extra-base hits in a game. Ohtani also became the second player since at least 1901 with six hits in a game, including five for extra bases, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

The man who secured a 40/40 season with a walk-off grand slam on Aug. 23 had found another way to reach history in grand fashion.

The Dodgers' convincing victory secured them another playoff spot. For Ohtani, it will be his first. The two-way star has played in 866 games without reaching the postseason, the most among active players.

Soon -- officially -- that will come to an end.

"Obviously I changed teams this year and my goal has always been to make it to the playoffs," Ohtani said. "It's something that I've really worked hard [for] and I'm really happy to make it, so now my goal is to be able to perform well in the playoff situations."

DODGERS' SHOHEI OHTANI ENTERS 40-40 CLUB WITH WALK-OFF GRAND SLAM

Shohei Ohtani entered the 40-40 club in grand fashion Friday night, hitting a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning to reach 40 home runs for the season and lift the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 7-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Ohtani stole his 40th base earlier in the game, reaching on an infield single to lead off the fourth inning then stealing second during Freddie Freeman's at-bat.

He is the fastest player in major league history to reach the vaunted 40-40 mark, doing so in his 126th game of the season. Alfonso Soriano held the previous mark, reaching 40-40 in 147 games for the Washington Nationals in 2006.

Ohtani is the sixth major leaguer to reach the milestone, and the first Dodgers player.

"It's really more about the winning," Ohtani said through an interpreter. "Obviously the record is part of the process, but I think the most important thing is about winning the game."

Friday's blast was the first walk-off homer of Ohtani's career and his third grand slam.

"It's just storybook -- 40-40 on the same night," manager Dave Roberts said. "I don't know if that's ever been done, and then he wins it with a grand slam. He's definitely known for the dramatics, and this was something I'll remember for a long time."

Ohtani's 389-foot shot snapped a 3-3 tie. Rays center fielder Jose Siri gave chase, and the ball bounced back onto the field. Siri threw the ball into the stands, so Ohtani didn't end up with the keepsake, according to Ohtani's interpreter, Will Ireton.

Ohtani took a curtain call as the crowd of 45,556 stood and cheered. Teammates Miguel Rojas and Teoscar Hernandez soaked him with water on the field.

"It means a tremendous amount for me to be able to do this in front of the home crowd," Ohtani said.

Dodgers starter Bobby Miller was in the clubhouse watching on television when Ohtani made history.

"I kind of called that one," he said. "I was like how cool would this be just to get that 40-40 on a walk-off grand slam? He's a really special player."

Ohtani joins Soriano, Ronald Acuna Jr., Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds and Jose Canseco in the 40-40 club. Acuna became a member last season, when he belted 41 homers and stole 73 bases.

Ohtani is on pace to be the first player with 50 homers and 50 stolen bases in a season in MLB history, according to ESPN Stats & Information. No player has had 45 homers and 45 steals in a season.

After never making the postseason in his six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani finds himself in a pennant race with the National League West-leading Dodgers.

"The No. 1 goal is to get to the postseason and win the World Series," he said. "Whatever the outcome is for my record, that's part of the process."

Ohtani's 12 stolen bases in August without being caught are the most in a month by a Dodgers player since Rafael Furcal was 12-for-12 in September and October 2007.

"I know that he's taking very good care of his legs to be able to do it and be that dynamic player," Roberts said. "He's doing his homework on opposing pitchers, and he's getting great jumps. He's a much better base stealer. He's very efficient."

Roberts noted that earlier in the season and going back to when the Dodgers faced the Angels, Ohtani was tentative on the basepaths and his stolen base percentage wasn't high.

"He's an elite base stealer with a high success rate," the manager said. "I'm sure there'll be more dramatics to come."

New York Yankees star Aaron Judge leads the majors with 49 homers. He's favored to win AL MVP honors with Ohtani predicted to do the same in the NL.

"I just don't see anyone any better," Roberts said. "Obviously Judge is in the conversation, but man, I'd take Shohei."

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

- ESPN News Services

RANKING THE TOP 25 ASIAN ATHLETES OF THE 21ST CENTURY

Who is the top Asian athlete of the 21st century? How do you define Asia? Do you limit your scope to regional or national competitions or do you include world-wide fame?

The region has produced some remarkable athletes since 2000. Trailblazers who have reached the pinnacle of their sport or who have who made history. No one list can truly capture the scope of their achievements and the order of these athletes will no doubt be debated.

Here's our look at the top 25 Asian athletes of this century.

1. Manny Pacquiao, boxing

Key accomplishments: Since Jan. 1, 2000: 35-6-2 pro record. Only boxer to hold eight world division titles, held world titles in 2000s, 2010s and 2020s

Plain and simple, "PacMan" is arguably one of the greatest boxers of all time. He won world titles in an unprecedented eight weight divisions, showcasing his versatility and dominance. Pacquiao's career spanned over three decades, during which he defeated numerous boxing legends.

Recognized as Fighter of the Year by Ring Magazine in 2006, 2008, and 2009, he was also named BWAA's Fighter of the Decade for the 2000s and won the Best Fighter ESPY Award in 2009 and 2011. Pacquiao's remarkable achievements and impact on boxing highlight his extraordinary legacy and has now stemmed into a career in politics and as an executive in various sports. -- Miguel Alfonso Caramoan

2. Yao Ming, basketball

Key accomplishments: No. 1 pick in the 2002 NBA draft, 8-time NBA All-Star, 5-time All-NBA team, 5th all-time highest scorer in Houston Rockets' history, Basketball Hall of Fame inductee

The man who effectively gave the NBA a following of a billion Chinese when he was drafted in 2002, Yao remains one of Asia's most well-recognised sportspersons. While many cynics predicted he would fail in the NBA, the 7-foot-6 center would eventually win over his doubters and earn the respect of even the fiercest of opponents such as Shaquille O'Neal.

Unfortunately, the ultimate success eluded Yao and he only tasted playoff action in four of his eight seasons with Houston while injuries would blight his later years, but he can claim to be a Basketball Hall of Fame inductee and also had his No. 11 retired by the Rockets in 2017. -- Gabriel Tan

3. Ichiro Suzuki, baseball

Key accomplishments: 2001 AL Rookie of the Year and AL MVP, 10-time All-Star, 10-time Gold Glove Award winner, AL batting titles in 2001 and 2004

His most famous play is his "Star Wars" throw from his rookie season. His most famous record is the 262 hits he registered in 2004. He was 27 when he came to Seattle and he still finished with more than 3,000 hits -- indeed, more career hits, if you include his Japanese totals, than Pete Rose. The iconic Ichiro hit starts with the pull of the sleeve in the batter's box, the bat held high in front of him, then comes outracing the ball to first base. "No single number could ever explain a human as thrilling, as unusual, and as wonderful as Ichiro," wrote sports columnist Joe Posnanski. -- David Schoenfield

Ichiro's return to Seattle won't resolve the battle raging within him

4. Son Heung-Min, football

Key accomplishments: Highest Asian scorer in Premier League and UEFA Champions League history, first Asian to captain a Premier League club, first Asian to win the Premier League's golden boot, 5th all-time top scorer in Tottenham's history

While Asian footballers have regularly enjoyed success on the big stage, Son is perhaps the first to be regarded as world-class. Now captaining one of Europe's biggest clubs, he made history two years ago when he shared the Premier League golden boot with Mohamed Salah to become the first Asian top scorer of the competition.

Son is also already the highest Asian scorer in Premier League and Champions League history, and he is definitely in the debate for the continent's greatest footballer ever. -- Tan

5. Naomi Osaka, tennis

Key accomplishments: Four-time Grand Slam champion, former world No. 1, seven WTA Tour titles

Having won the US Open at the age of 19, Osaka has gone on to establish herself as one of the leading tennis players of her generation after another three Grand Slam titles followed. After her Australian Open triumph in 2019, Osaka would become the first Asian world No. 1 and held the ranking for a total of 25 weeks across two spells.

Still only 26, Osaka returned to competition this year after a hiatus and still has plenty of time for even more success. -- Tan

Osaka returns to tennis -- with a new joy and perspective

6. Sun Yang, swimming

Key accomplishments: Three-time Olympic gold medalist, 11-time world champion, first Chinese to win an Olympic gold in men's swimming, current 1500m freestyle world record holder

Although his international reputation has been tarnished by doping allegations, which resulted in a drawn-out and heavily-disputed ban over a testing incident in 2018, Sun's accomplishments cannot be disputed.

A three-time Olympic champion, Sun's remarkable versatility saw him become the first male swimmer in history to win Olympic and World Championship gold in every freestyle distance from 200 to 1500 metres. Sun continues to hold the world record in the 1500m freestyle discipline, as well as three Asian records. -- Tan

7. Park Ji-Sung, football

Key accomplishments: Four-time Premier League champion, UEFA Champions League winner, fourth-place finish at the 2002 FIFA World Cup

While far from the most glamorous of footballers, Park's résumé speaks for itself as a four-time Premier League champion with Manchester United, which were preceded by two Eredisivie titles at PSV Eindhoven as well as being part of the South Korea side that memorably finished fourth at the 2002 World Cup.

Park is widely regarded as one of the most underrated players in the history of football and was always turned to for the big occasion by former manager Sir Alex Ferguson. Looking back on the 2011 Champions League final -- which United lost to Barcelona -- Ferguson even said they would have won the game had he made the decision at halftime to switch Park to a negating role on a certain Lionel Messi. -- Tan

8. Li Na, tennis

Key accomplishments: Two-time Grand Slam champion, first Asian to win a tennis major, career high of world No. 2

What Yao Ming did for basketball in China, Li Na did for tennis. After a slow but steady rise early in her career, Li would break into the top ten and reach her first Grand Slam semifinal in 2010 -- which would prove a sign of things to come.

A year later, her breakthrough arrived when she won the French Open -- accounting for a host of top seeds including Victoria Azarenka, Maria Sharapova and then defending champion Francesca Schiavone in the final, a match which was viewed by 330 million worldwide. Li's second major title would come at the 2014 Australian Open when she became only the fourth woman to win the final from match point down, although injuries would see her call time on her career later that year at the age of just 32. -- Tan

9. Shohei Ohtani, baseball

Key accomplishments: Two-time MVP, 2018 Rookie of the Year, three-time All-Star, two 40-HR seasons, 38-19 record as pitcher (3.01 career ERA), top-five Cy Young finish.

When ESPN runs the sequel to this exercise in 2050, Ohtani could easily be number one. His first seven years in MLB have been transcendent. What before him was taken as fact -- that nobody can hit and pitch at a high enough level to warrant doing both -- is now null. Ohtani arrived from Japan with a freighter of hype and only exceeded it, stretching the definition of what a baseball player can be. "Shohei," Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said, "is arguably the most talented player who's ever played this game." -- Jeff Passan

10. Lin Dan, badminton

Key accomplishments: Two-time Olympic gold medalist, five-time World champion, two-time Asian Games gold medalist, six-time All England champion

To be the best in a sport at any point in time already takes some doing, but to be regarded as the greatest of all time? That is testament to what Lin achieved in his glittering career.

By the time he was 28, he had completed the Super Grand Slam of the nine major titles he was eligible to compete in at the time, and he would eventually end his career as a two-time Olympic and five-time world champion. With 66 titles to his name, Lin also boasted a impressive record of 662 wins -- 83.5% of the total matches he played. -- Tan

11. Inbee Park, golf

Key accomplishments: Seven-time major champion, world No. 1 on four separate occasions, youngest player to win the U.S. Women's Open, second player to win three consecutive Women's PGA Championship, only the 7th player to win four different majors and capture a career Grand Slam

For a period of time, primarily in 2013 when she became only the fourth player on the LPGA Tour to win three consecutive majors, Inbee Park was the dominant force in women's golf.

She now has a total of seven major titles to her name, is considered to have completed the career Grand Slam, and also has an Olympic gold medal to show for her efforts. While five-time major Se Ri Pak paved the way, Park spearheaded the South Korean wave that took women's golf by storm from the mid-2000s which has now produced 20 different major champions and for a total of 36 titles. -- Tan

12. Ma Long, table tennis

Key accomplishments: Five-time Olympic gold medalist, 14-time World Championships and 11-time World Cup champion, only male player to complete career Double Grand Slam, record 64 months as world No. 1

China not only can lay claim to the GOAT of badminton. In Ma Long, they also have produced an athlete widely regarded as the best to ever play table tennis.

Granted, China do dominate the sport but that only means that Ma's competition has been of the highest level in the form of compatriots and fellow champions like Zhang Jike and Fan Zhendong. When he won the men's singles at the Tokyo Games, Ma also became the first male player to successfully defend his gold medal. -- Tan

13. Kohei Uchimura, gymnastics

Key accomplishments: Seven-time Olympic medalist, three-time Olympic gold medalist, six-time individual all-around world champion.

Over an eight-year period from 2009 to 2016, Uchimura dominated men's gymnastics, going undefeated in all-around competition, winning back-to-back Olympic titles and leading the Japanese team to gold at the Rio Games. He retired from the sport in 2022 with a reputation for pairing extreme difficulty with unmatched consistency and flawless execution and is widely considered to be the GOAT of men's gymnastics.

In one of his most memorable all-around performances, Uchimura averaged higher than a 9.0 execution score on every apparatus to take the all-around title at the 2011 world championships in Tokyo, which were held seven months after an earthquake and tsunami devastated northeast Japan. -- Alyssa Roenigk

14. Virat Kohli, cricket

Key accomplishments: ODI World Cup champion, T20 World Cup champion, two-time T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament, 2023 ODI World Cup Player of the Tournament, two-time ICC Cricketer of the Year, most centuries in ODI history (50), second-highest scorer in T20Is, third-highest scorer in ODIs, India's most successful Test captain.

Kohli won the World Cup early in his career, but he was at risk of fading away into mediocrity in the early 2010s. A fierce fitness-driven approach -- the kind that was uncommon in cricket then -- coupled with unrelenting drive catapulted him from "talent" to titan. The fire within translates onto the field. The Indian batter is the ultimate competitor and has won games on willpower alone. The intensity of his passion sparks fear in the opposition and bedlam in the stands. Kohli wasn't born to be the best; he just willed himself to be. -- Shubi Arun

The summer of Kohli

15. Taufik Hidayat, badminton

Key accomplishments: 2004 Olympic gold medalist, one-time world champion, youngest world No. 1 in history

Before Lin came along to dominate badminton, it was a far more open field of leading contenders but the one that excited fans the most was arguably Hidayat -- who is also regarded as one of the greatest to ever play the sport and revolutionised the backhand smash.

He remains the youngest top-ranked player in the sport having first reached No. 1 in the world just weeks after turning 19, and he was just 23 when he reached the pinnacle of badminton by winning gold at the 2004 Athens Games. -- Tan

16. Ali Daei, football

Key accomplishments: German Bundesliga champion with Bayern Munich, 108 goals in 148 caps for Iran, former world's top international scorer

One of the pioneers who led the way for Asian footballers in Europe, Daei is best remembered for his time in the Bundesliga with Arminia Bielefeld, Bayern Munich and Hertha Berlin. With Bayern, he won a Bundesliga title in the 1998-99 season and almost tasted continental glory if not for a dramatic comeback by Manchester United in the famous Champions League final.

It was for his country where Daei's greatest successes came though, with his record of 108 goals in 148 matches making him the most prolific international scorer until Cristiano Ronaldo surpassed the mark in June 2021. -- Tan

17. Lee Chong Wei, badminton

Key accomplishments: Three-time Olympic silver medalist, two-time World Championship runner-up, five-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist, world No. 1 for 349 weeks -- including a 199-week streak between Aug. 2008 and June 2012, BWF Hall of Fame inductee

Only the sixth Malaysian to win an Olympic medal, Lee might have achieved far more than this three silvers at the Games if not for the fact that he was from the same generation as Lin. Fierce competitors on the court who became close friends off it, the Lee-Lin rivalry headlined the sport for over a decade not dissimilar to that of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in tennis.

Lin would twice be the final hurdle that denied Lee an Olympic gold in 2008 and 2012. The Malaysian did manage to get one over his archnemesis in 2016 semifinals, only to fall to Chen Long in the decider. While he never won the one medal he coveted the most, Lee showed impressive consistency and longevity for being one of the best in his sport. -- Tan

18. Joseph Schooling, swimming

Key accomplishments: 2016 Olympic gold medalist, three-time Asian Games and 29-time Southeast Asian gold medalist, Singapore's first and only Olympic champion

Schooling's haul of a solitary Olympic gold medal may pale in comparison to others on this list, but it was the manner in which he achieved it that defines his greatness. From a country with a population of just 6 million, the unfancied Singaporean made the 100m butterfly final as the fastest qualifier before inspiring an entire nation when he won their maiden Olympic gold medal with a record-breaking swim of 50.39 seconds.

What made the feat all the more incredible was the fact that he saw off three hot favourites who had to settle for an equally remarkable three-way tie in second, and that one of those he beat was the great Michael Phelps -- whom Schooling had idolised growing up -- in one of the former's best events, no less. -- Tan

19. Hidilyn Diaz, weightlifting

Key accomplishments: 2020 Olympic gold medalist, one-time world champion, former Olympic record holder,

Diaz made history by winning the Philippines' first-ever Olympic gold medal in weightlifting at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Her triumph in the women's 55kg category ended the country's 97-year Olympic gold drought and inspired millions.

Diaz's dedication and resilience are evident in her journey, overcoming numerous challenges to reach the pinnacle of her sport. She has also won multiple medals in the Asian Games and World Championships. Diaz's historic achievement and her role in elevating weightlifting in the Philippines are testaments to her exceptional talent and determination. -- Caramoan

20. Homare Sawa, football

Key accomplishments: 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup-winning captain, Japan's record holder in both appearances and goals, one of only two Asian footballers with over 200 caps

Widely regarded as one of the greatest female footballers of all time, Sawa boasted a prolific tally of 83 goals from 205 matches and was prominent as captain of the Japan side that won the 2011 Women's World Cup -- the first Asian team to do so.

Having spent most of her career at home with several stints in America, Sawa would arguably be a far more prominent figure had she played in the current era given the rise of women's club football over the past decade. -- Tan

21. Liu Xiang, athletics

Key accomplishments: 2004 Olympic gold medalist, former world champion, only male ever to concurrently be the 110m hurdles world record holder, world and Olympic champion

When Liu Xiang won gold in Athens in 2004, history was made as he became China's first male Olympic champion in athletics. He would continue to be a favourite in the 110m hurdles at subsequent Games but injury twice dashed his hopes in 20008 and 2012.

Liu's 2004 time of 12.91 seconds remains the Olympic record and he is also the only male to be Olympic and world champion, as well as the world record holder, at the same time. -- Tan

22. Yuna Kim, figure skating

Key accomplishments: 2010 Olympic gold medalist, two-time world champion, first female skater to win every major international competition

Regarded as a prodigy from the time she won the senior title at the South Korea Championships at the age of 12, Kim's crowning glory came at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancover when she won the ladies' single skating competition after setting world-best scores in each of the three components.

In doing so, Kim became the first female skater to win every major international competition, as well as the first -- female or male -- to complete the Super Slam (winning all four major senior-level and two major junior-level international competitions). -- Tan

23. Saki Kumagai, football

Key accomplishments: 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup champion, nine-time league champion across Europe's major competitions with Lyon, Bayern Munich and Roma, five-time UEFA Women's Champions League winner, four consecutive Women's World Cup appearances from 2011 to 2023

Following the departure of Sawa from the Japan women's football national team, it was Kumagai who stepped up to fill the leadership void -- which was hardly surprising given the career she was carving out then -- and has since carved out -- for herself.

Being part of a dominant Lyon outfit saw her win five consecutive UEFA Women's Champions League titles but success has followed her everywhere she goes, with further silverware coming in subsequent stints with Bayern and Roma. On 147 caps, Kumagai is unlikely to reach Sawa's record tally but is still already Japan's third highest-capped player ever. -- Tan

24. Eileen Gu, skiing

Key accomplishments: Two-time Olympic gold medalist, two-time world champion, youngest Olympic champion in freestyle skiing

Having made the decision to change her country of representation from the United States to China in 2019 -- a move that was not without controversy -- Gu became the youngest Olympic champion in freestyle skiing at the Beijing Winter Games in 2022.

Gu, also a two-time world champion from the year before in halfpipe and slopestyle, is still only 20 and could feature far more prominently in 25 years when the next edition is put together. -- Tan

25. June Mar Fajardo, basketball

Key accomplishments: 10-time PBA champion, 4-time PBA Finals MVP, 7-time PBA MVP, 10-time Best Player of the Conference, 9-time PBA All-Star, 8-time Mythical Five Member, 2015 PBA Defensive Player of the Year, gold medalist in the 2022 Asian Games

Known as "The Kraken," Fajardo has won seven MVP awards, the most in league history, and has led the San Miguel Beermen to 10 PBA championships. He has also suited up for the national team since the 2013 FIBA Asia Championships and has continued to be the best big man for Gilas Pilipinas -- including in the latest Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Fajardo's consistent excellence and influence on Philippine basketball underscore his significant impact on the sport that Filipinos love. -- Caramoan

MLB ROUNDUP: DODGERS' 4-HOMER INNING

USA TODAY Sports 

 Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Teoscar Hernandez and Jason Heyward homered in a seven-run sixth inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers rolled to a 15-2 victory over the visiting Texas Rangers on Tuesday.

Will Smith added a three-run home run, Mookie Betts hit a three-run double and James Paxton (6-1) gave up one run over six innings as the Dodgers improved to 9-4 following a season-worst, five-game losing streak late last month.

Ezequiel Duran hit a home run as the Rangers lost for the fifth time in seven games. Texas starter Dane Dunning (4-5) gave up six runs over 3 2/3 innings, while Grant Anderson yielded all seven runs in the sixth inning while recording two outs.

The last time the Dodgers hit four home runs in an inning was on September 29, 2021.

Rays 5, Cubs 2

Brandon Lowe crushed a walk-off, three-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning as Tampa Bay rallied and broke a four-game losing streak with a win over Chicago in St. Petersburg, Fla.

With the Rays down 2-1 and Cubs closer Hector Neris (6-1) on the mound, Jose Caballero slashed a one-out single to knock in Richie Palacios, who led off the ninth with a double. On a 3-2 splitter from Neris, Lowe rocked his third homer for his fourth career walk-off hit and Rays' fifth this season.

Chris Devenski (2-1) tossed a perfect ninth for Tampa Bay.

Padres 4, A's 3

Kyle Higashioka led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a walk-off home run as San Diego edged visiting Oakland.

Higashioka jumped on a hanging changeup from Scott Alexander (0-1) and lined it into the left field corner. Robert Suarez (3-0) retired all four batters he faced to pick up the win.

Tyler Soderstrom cracked a two-run homer off Enyel De Los Santos in the eighth inning, drawing the A's even at 3-3.

Yankees 10, Royals 1

Aaron Judge, back from his first day off of the season, homered and knocked in three runs as New York demolished host Kansas City.

After singling in a run in the first inning, Judge hit a two-run, 436-foot blast to center, his 25th, for a 9-0 Yankees lead in the seventh. He is hitting .401 with 21 homers and 49 RBIs over his past 41 games.

New York starter Marcus Stroman (6-2) threw 5 2/3 shutout innings, allowing four hits. Royals starter Brady Singer (4-3) was tagged for seven runs, six earned, on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Orioles 4, Braves 0

Jorge Mateo smacked a three-run home run in his first action in nine days and five pitchers combined on a five-hitter as Baltimore returned from an eight-game road trip to defeat Atlanta.

Albert Suarez (3-0) worked 5 1/3 shutout innings to help the Orioles earn fifth consecutive victory and their 15th win in their past 19 outings.

Atlanta starter Max Fried (6-3) lasted five-plus innings, and he was charged with four runs on six hits. His personal three-game winning streak ended.

Diamondbacks 9, Angels 4

Randal Grichuk and Corbin Carroll each fell one component short of the cycle as two of four Diamondbacks to record three hits during Arizona's victory over Los Angeles in Phoenix.

Grichuk finished a single shy and Carroll was missing the homer while Gabriel Moreno and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. joined them as part of the three-hit brigade. Grichuk, Gurriel and Moreno drove in two runs apiece as the Diamondbacks racked up 15 hits while winning for the seventh time in 10 games.

Taylor Ward homered, drove in two runs and scored twice for the Angels, who have dropped three of four games.

Phillies 4, Red Sox 1

Kyle Schwarber hit two home runs, including his 17th career multi-homer game out of the leadoff spot, as visiting Philadelphia beat Boston.

Schwarber, who returned to Boston for the first time since his departure after the 2021 season, ripped leadoff blasts in the first and fifth innings. Bryson Stott went 2-for-4 and scored a run. Zack Wheeler (8-3) allowed just one run on three hits in seven innings.

David Hamilton went 2-for-4 for Boston. Kutter Crawford (2-6) struck out eight and surrendered four runs, two earned, over six innings.

Blue Jays 3, Brewers 0

George Springer, Spencer Horwitz and Danny Jansen had RBIs, Yusei Kikuchi pitched five scoreless innings and visiting Toronto defeated Milwaukee.

Kikuchi (4-5) allowed three hits and four walks while striking out five. Yimi Garcia pitched 1 1/3 perfect innings, recording three strikeouts to earn his fifth save of the season.

Brewers starter Carlos Rodriguez (0-1) made his major league debut and allowed two runs, seven hits and one walk in 3 2/3 innings. He struck out four.

Marlins 4, Mets 2

Jesus Luzardo combined with three relievers on a four-hitter for Miami in a victory at New York.

Tim Anderson, Nick Gordon and Bryan De La Cruz drove in runs for the Marlins, who won for just the second time in eight games. Mark Vientos laced a two-run double for the Mets, who fell to 6-4 in their last 10. Luzardo (3-5) gave up two runs in 5 2/3 innings.

Starling Marte finished with two hits for the Mets. New York starter Tylor Megill (1-3) allowed three runs, two earned, over 4 2/3 innings.

Rockies 5, Twins 4

Ezequiel Tovar and Ryan McMahon each homered and Colorado held on for a win over Minnesota in Minneapolis.

Michael Toglia also drove in a run for the Rockies, who won for only the third time in their past 11 games. Byron Buxton went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run for Minnesota. Carlos Santana also hit a two-run homer for the Twins.

Rockies starter Cal Quantrill (6-4) pitched six scoreless innings. Tyler Kinley gave Santana's two-run shot in the ninth just still earned his fifth save. Twins reliever Caleb Thielbar (2-2) took the loss after yielding four runs without getting an out.

Astros 3, Giants 1

Ronel Blanco teamed with three relievers on a three-hitter and Houston took advantage of a Matt Chapman error to score the decisive runs in a victory at San Francisco.

Blanco (6-2) went six innings, limiting the Giants to one run and three hits. He walked one and struck out eight. Mauricio Dubon had two hits and scored twice while Jon Singleton collected two singles for the Astros.

Patrick Bailey had a double among the three hits for the Giants, who lost for just the second time in their past six games. The lone San Francisco run came via Brett Wisely's solo homer in the third inning. Giants starter Jordan Hicks (4-3) gave up three runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings.

Guardians 5, Reds 3

Steven Kwan doubled twice, had three hits and drove in two runs, and Tyler Freeman made consecutive leaping catches at the outfield wall to lead visiting Cleveland over Cincinnati

Josh Naylor belted a tape-measure homer in the eighth inning for insurance, helping secure a win for Triston McKenzie (3-3), who worked 5 1/3 innings of two-run ball. Emmanuel Clase earned his 20th save as the Guardians won for their third game in a row.

Reliever Nick Martinez (2-4) gave up three runs in 1 2/3 innings as the Reds took their second straight loss after seven wins in a row.

Pirates 2, Cardinals 1

Jack Suwinski scored on a ninth-inning fielder's choice and Andrew McCutchen subsequently raced home on a sacrifice fly, fueling Pittsburgh to a victory at St. Louis.

Pirates rookie Paul Skenes allowed five hits and struck out eight over 6 1/3 scoreless innings. Colin Holderman (2-0) earned the win in relief, and David Bednar posted his 14th save despite seeing Nolan Gorman belt his first pitch for a homer to lead off the ninth inning.

Ryan Helsley (2-3) yielded both Pittsburgh runs in the ninth after Miles Mikolas took a no-hitter in the seventh inning. Mikolas fired seven shutout frames, permitting just one hit and one walk while fanning six.

Mariners 4, White Sox 3

Cal Raleigh doubled home the tying and go-ahead runs with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning as Seattle rallied to beat Chicago, spoiling the major league debut of top pitching prospect Drew Thorpe.

Raleigh, who hit a walk-off grand slam in an 8-4 victory over Chicago on Monday, had two doubles and three RBIs for the Mariners, who won their third in a row. Andrew Vaughn and Paul DeJong homered for the White Sox, who have lost 28 of 33 road games this season.

Thorpe was called up after going 7-1 with a 1.35 ERA at Double-A Birmingham. He allowed two runs -- one earned -- on three hits over five innings. The right-hander walked two and struck out four.

Nationals 5, Tigers 4 (10 innings)

Lane Thomas drove in the go-ahead run with a 10th-inning sacrifice fly and Washington extended its winning streak to four games by defeating host Detroit.

Thomas had two RBIs. Kyle Finnegan (2-3) struck out three in 1 1/3 perfect innings to pick up the win.

Riley Greene had a three-run triple for the Tigers, who fell for the fourth time in five games.