- Thai massacre families demand justice as charge deadline expires
- Asia markets split after Tesla boosts Wall Street
- Stung in Europe, Bayern and Dortmund face tricky away trips
- Confident Barca visit unpredictable Liga champions Madrid
- Arsenal face must-win match against Premier League pacesetters Liverpool
- Parra's Stade Francais 'lacking confidence' before hosting Clermont
- 'Our pride': Lone child brings hope to Japan's puppet village
- Thompson nets first USA goal in 3-1 friendly win over Iceland
- Biden to issue historic apology for abuse of Native American children
- Baseball blockbuster as Yankees, Dodgers clash in World Series
- Loud US election barges into quiet Amish country
- It's the economy, say voters in swing state Nevada
- Trump vs Harris: Competing visions for a warming world
- Colombia's Awa people resist violence, maintain 'spiritual bond' with nature
- Split Gen Z: Gender divide grows in US youth vote
- Harris joined by Obama, Springsteen at star-studded rally
- Judge relishing World Series duel with 'best player' Ohtani
- Calls to charge tourists to enter Paris' Notre-Dame cathedral
- 'Sho-time' arrives as relaxed Ohtani prepares for World Series bow
- Thai massacre families left without justice as charge deadline expires
- Cricketer David Warner's lifetime leadership ban lifted
- Springsteen, at Harris rally, warns of 'American tyrant' Trump
- Menendez brothers could be freed after prosecutor urges resentencing
- Tottenham teen Moore compared to Neymar after Europa League starring role
- 'Freedom': Russian anti-war sisters find new home in exile
- Ten Hag bemoans United's lack of 'killing' instinct, Spurs march on
- Commonwealth presses UK to atone for brutal past
- Pacers' Wiseman suffered torn Achilles tendon in season opener
- Google urged to step up efforts to demonetize climate falsehoods
- Norris says 'I'll do what I think is right' in Verstappen battle
- USA Volleyball names Kiraly men's coach through '28 Olympics
- Spurs march on as Mourinho red-carded against Man Utd in Europa League
- LA prosecutor to ask for resentencing of Menendez brothers
- Spurs march on in Europa League as Mourinho sees red against Man Utd
- US court blocks Coach owner's $8.5 bn buyout of Versace parent
- Unbeaten NFL Chiefs welcome Hopkins before facing Vegas
- 'Heroes': WNBA champions Liberty feted with NY parade
- IMF official calls on international community to bring end to Lebanon conflict
- Felix double fires Chelsea in Conference League rout, TNS make history
- Mourinho sees red as Fenerbahce hold Man Utd
- Sainz insists leaving Ferrari does not mean farewell to winning
- Huge US lithium mine gets govt approval
- Prolonged strike clouds new Boeing CEO's turnaround
- Venice to continue tourist entry fee in 2025
- Israel and Hamas signal openness to talks on Gaza war
- Bottas admits Mercedes supporting role may be only option
- Harris deploys Springsteen in celeb-heavy push
- Mozambique's ruling party re-elected, opposition holds protests
- Machado and Gonzalez Urrutia: Venezuela's 'fearless' opposition duo
- Detroit's Williams get two game NFL suspension for PED breach
Judge relishing World Series duel with 'best player' Ohtani
New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge is looking forward to testing himself against "the best player" in baseball when he comes up against Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers in Friday's titanic World Series opener.
Home-run machine Judge is just one of several superstars who will take to the field at Dodger Stadium on Friday in what has the makings of a blockbuster Fall Classic.
But according to Judge, who led the major leagues with 58 home runs during the regular season, Ohtani is a notch above the array of talent who will be on display in the best-of-seven series.
"When you got the best player in the game, it's always going to be a fun match-up," Judge said of Ohtani, who made history this year by becoming the first player to amass 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season.
"We've seen what he's done all year," Judge said. "You know -- the 50-50 club, which has never been done, which is just absolutely unheard of.
"Listen guys, I can sit here and talk about him all day -- the things he can do on the baseball field is something special. So I'm just looking forward to seeing what he does. It's gonna be a fun match-up."
- 'Get punched, punch back' -
Like Ohtani, Judge is playing in his first World Series.
It has been a long-time coming for the 32-year-old 6ft 7in (2.01m), 282lb (127kg) slugger from the Bronx.
As World Series debuts go, this year's clash between two of baseball's most iconic franchises -- meeting in the Fall Classic for the 12th time -- doesn't get any bigger.
"It's an incredible feeling," Judge said. "Having two historic franchises like this going at it again.
"It's pretty cool. They just had some highlights on in the clubhouse of kind of all the past meetings and how they've gone.
"You see the list of players that were in these match-ups, you know, back and forth. Man, it's, it's something special ... just getting a chance to be a part of this is going to be fun. But we got work to do."
Judge is aware that this year's championship series is much more than simply a straight duel between him and Ohtani, citing the Dodgers' batting line-up that also includes former MVPs Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, as well as Yankees stars such as Giancarlo Stanton.
"We can talk about Shohei, talk about me. But you look up and down their lineup -- they've got three MVPs to lead off.
"And you know the guys we got in our lineup. It's impressive."
In mid-season, however, the Yankees looked anything but World Series contenders after a nosedive in form that saw them win just five of 20 games through June and early July.
Judge says the roller coaster campaign had forged a battle-hardened Yankees line-up.
"This team's like a family -- I think going through a lot of adversity in the regular season, the ups and downs, losing streaks, the tough times, and now the good moments -- we're kind of rolling," Judge said.
"It just helps us get together and kind of builds that unity, that you can kind of push through anything ... you get punched, punch back."
P.Costa--AMWN