Dodgers vs. Yankees: A Historic World Series Battle, with Iconic Cards to Match

Baseball is known as the National Pastime in the US, with many great stories, moments, and heroics. There are at least 186 movies in which baseball plays a central role.

The World Series is the finals in Major League Baseball (MLB), the oldest major professional sports league in the world. The best teams from the American League and National League meet on the biggest stage after 162 regular-season games and 2-3 elimination rounds in the postseason.

This year, one couldn’t hope for a better matchup—almost like a Hollywood script—great for the sport and fans alike. Dodgers vs. Yankees, the two biggest storied franchises, full of history and greatness, feature the faces of the sport, Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge, respectively. These two teams represent the biggest markets for sports and media, with many stars from Hollywood and Broadway watching as fans. They have met in the World Series 12 times, an MLB record, with the last matchup in 1981—making this the first showdown in 43 years. An NBA comparison would be if Jordan and Kobe met in the Finals in 1998, or if Kobe met LeBron in the 2009 Finals.

Batters are remembered more fondly and receive greater admiration in the card-collecting hobby. However, baseball is a team sport with strategic moves by managers (coaches) for lineup choices, and pitching can play an even more crucial role in winning. Because hitting a baseball is one of the hardest things to do in sports, a batter has just 125 milliseconds to decide to swing (for comparison, blinking takes 300 milliseconds). In the fast postseason format (best of 3 and best of 5 in the first two rounds), a cold streak can lead to a quick exit from contention. Therefore, in baseball, greatness, Hall of Fame potential, and hobby love aren’t penalized by a lack of postseason success; individual in-game performance, stats, and accolades matter more. That said, winning or making great moments in the World Series can add to a player’s legacy, immortalizing them in history. For example, in Game 3 of the 1932 World Series, Babe Ruth famously pointed and then hit a home run—a moment known as the “Called Shot.” The jersey worn in that game recently sold for $24M, the highest amount ever for memorabilia.

Before Ohtani moved to the Dodgers in the National League (NL) this season, he was in the American League (AL) alongside Judge. They collectively won the last three AL MVP (Most Valuable Player) titles. Ohtani was awarded two unanimous MVPs for his excellence in both pitching and batting, breaking many records held since Babe Ruth. Judge, meanwhile, earned MVP honors in between Ohtani’s two MVP seasons, thanks to his history-making 62 home runs (the most in AL history and also the most among all players not involved with steroids). In 2024, Judge had an incredible 100-game stretch with 45 homers, 100 RBIs, and a batting average over .375, matched only by Bonds in 2001 (widely regarded as one of the greatest hitters of all time, though his legacy is clouded by steroid involvement). This season, Judge and Ohtani are MVP locks for the AL and NL, respectively. While their legacies in baseball and popularity in card collecting are well established, this is the first World Series for both, adding to their already impressive resumes. Their ages and similar years of entry into the league suggest many more years to build their legacies as two of the greatest.

As seen in contracts and impressive stats, both teams feature some of the biggest names in the sport, and the batting firepower from both sides is incredible. Soto is in a contract year and will likely earn a top contract comparable to Ohtani and Judge. He hit a memorable 3-run homer in extra innings to send the Yankees to the World Series. Stanton always performs in October (postseason), and Judge, the team’s backbone, is due for a big showing. Cole, the best pitcher on either team, will start in games 1, 4 (and 7 if necessary), giving the Yankees an edge in pitching, while the Dodgers hope Yamamoto can be as pivotal as he was in game 1 of the previous series. Ohtani has succeeded 18 times in 23 postseason chances with runners on base, an impressive feat. Betts and Freeman, both MVP-caliber players, bat alongside Ohtani in the lineup. Betts is known for his versatility and leadership, while Freeman, despite nursing an ankle injury, hit the World Series’ first-ever walk-off grand slam in extra innings, sealing game 1.

Game 1, which just happened, is arguably the best World Series game in recent memory. Shohei almost hit a home run but came up short, reaching second base and later scoring in the 8th inning to tie the game at 2-2. In extra innings, down 2-3 with Betts and Freeman next up, Shohei got a quick out due to a miraculous catch by Verdugo (evoking Jeter), seemingly saving the game for the Yankees. Yankees then chose to walk Betts, setting up a win-or-die situation for Freeman. In a high-pressure moment, Freeman hit a clutch grand slam (4-run home run) to give the Dodgers a 6-3 victory. If Game 1 is any indication, this World Series promises to be unforgettable for fans worldwide.

There will be two exclusive and truly historic card offerings for Shohei and Judge, marking this rare moment in history, which will be fondly remembered for years to come. Please stay tuned.