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A World Series rematch arrives this weekend with the game’s biggest stars aligned, while the teams themselves push into the third month of the season while trying to prove more.

The New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge and the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani are looking MVP-worthy yet again after each winning the honor in their respective leagues last season.

Heading into an off day on Thursday for both clubs, Ohtani had an MLB-best 20 home runs, while Judge was at 18 and one off the American League lead. Judge also had 47 RBIs and an MLB-best 1.227 OPS, while Ohtani had a 1.042 OPS — third best in baseball and just a tick behind teammate Freddie Freeman’s 1.044 mark.

While the Yankees have distanced themselves from a 19-16 start with a 16-4 record since May 6, the Dodgers are a mere 26-22 since their 8-0 start to the season.

New York’s recent momentum includes winning nine of its last 10 games. The Yankees remain in Southern California after a three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Angels with their pitching staff holding a once-hot offense to just three runs in three days.

“It’s going to be great to see how we stack up against them,” Judge said Wednesday. “I think the boys in here are all excited and ready to go.”

Ready indeed and not just because the Dodgers came out on top in the World Series a year ago. During the offseason, Los Angeles had something of a told-you-so attitude as New York melted down in the Game 5 title clincher.

“Some guys are more inclined to spout off and be a little more colorful than others,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said during spring training. “That’s their right. They won. Hopefully, we’re in that position and do things a little better.”

The first chance at payback comes Friday when the Yankees send left-hander Max Fried (7-0, 1.29 ERA) to the mound, countered by Dodgers right-hander Tony Gonsolin (2-1, 4.68). Fried is 3-4 with a 3.18 ERA in 10 regular-season starts against his hometown club; Gonsolin is 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA in a 2019 start against New York.

While Gonsolin has returned from Tommy John surgery this season, Dodgers starters Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Roki Sasaki all are on the injured list.

Multiple relievers are paying the price for their extended playoff runs from last season, including right-handers Blake Treinen (forearm) and Michael Kopech (right shoulder impingement), who could be ready to make his season debut in the series.

Righties Evan Phillips, Kirby Yates and Brusdar Graterol also are on the IL.

The Dodgers are returning home from a 3-3 road trip against the New York Mets and Cleveland Guardians, with Ohtani hitting three home runs and scoring six runs over the past four games.

Left-hander Tanner Scott, who was added in free agency to bolster the bullpen, has struggled to a 4.62 ERA in 26 appearances. He gave up four runs to take the loss Wednesday and has a 17.36 ERA over his last five outings (4 2/3 innings).

“We’re not used to giving up games late as far as the bullpen,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, whose relievers have an MLB-high 239 2/3 innings pitched with a 3.98 ERA. “There’s things that we’ve just got to keep kind of trying to figure out and get better.”

–Field Level Media