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Inside The Pinstripes

Yankees' Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani Take Over Sports Illustrated Cover

New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge and Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani are featured together one again.
Delilah Bourque|
Feb 24, 2026; Dunedin, Florida, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) looks on against the Toronto Blue Jays during the second inning at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Feb 24, 2026; Dunedin, Florida, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) looks on against the Toronto Blue Jays during the second inning at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

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New York Yankees

New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge is familiar with a life in the spotlight. What he's getting equally familiar with, it seems, is sharing that spotlight with Los Angeles Dodgers two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani. Now, the two are being featured on the latest edition of Sports Illustrated.

The cover, shared by Sports Illustrated on social media, features the two stars dressed in formal wear and holding bats, Judge pointing his towards the camera. The cover story, titled Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge Are Spearheading a New Golden Era of Baseball, is featured in SI's 2026 Baseball Preview edition.

Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani: Dueling MVPs

While there are limited chances for the cross-coastal stars to play one another, that doesn't stop the comparisons from rolling in. Judge has three AL MVPs to his name (2022, 2024, 2025), while Ohtani has four (2021, 2023, 2024, 2025). Judge hit 53 home runs in 2025, Ohtani 55. The most notable comparison, of course, comes in World Series rings. Ohtani has two, while Judge has none (though he does have an appearance in 2024, when the Yankees fell to the Dodgers.)

While many are keen to pit the two players against one another, they've shown time and time again the kind of mutual respect that comes with being the two best players in baseball year after year.

"Doing what he did this year with the 50 stolen bases, that got talked about a lot but I don't think it got talked about enough," Judge said of Ohtani in 2024. "He's an impressive athlete, the best player in the game, and what an ambassador for the sport."

For all their differences, one thing that ties the two together now is confusing 2026 World Baseball Classic losses. Ohtani and Japan were eliminated by Venezuela in the quarterfinals, while Judge and Team USA fell to the same team in the final. Neither player is accustomed to failure, making the loss on the international stage all the more surprising.

New York will have limited chances against Los Angeles this season. The Dodgers will be in the Bronx from July 17-19 for a three game series but, beyond that, the rivalry will continue to exist mostly in the postseason. Fans can expect more showstopping performances from each player, as Ohtani and the Dodgers try to win their third straight World Series title and the Yankees try to secure Judge that same honor, which he's been chasing his whole career.

To learn more about the Yankees, subscribe to All Yankees Talk, where new episodes are featured twice a week!

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Delilah Bourque
DELILAH BOURQUE

Delilah Bourque is a writer and copyeditor based out of Pittsburgh, PA. She received her Bachelor's degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 2021. After a few years in corporate marketing, she joined On SI as a full-time copyeditor and contributor to the New York Yankees On SI, as well as occasional contributions across the Pittsburgh Pirates and Pittsburgh Steelers on SI.

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