The Dodgers and Yankees are ready for the starriest World Series in decades

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Even 8-year-old Charlie Freeman is excited about a Dodgers-Yankees World Series.

“He's at Universal (Studios) right now with a couple of his buddies, but he goes, ‘Daddy, I can’t wait for the World Series to start tomorrow,’” Los Angeles first baseman Freddie Freeman said at the last workout before Friday's opener. “He’s on YouTube and seeing all the videos about Yankees-Dodgers. So you're starting to get a hint of how big this could be.”

This will be the 12th Dodgers-Yankees matchup and the first in 43 years. The rivalry dates to 1941, when the Dodgers were in Brooklyn and Joe DiMaggio's Yankees were seeking their fifth title in six years.

“You can be the best player. You can do whatever you want,” Yankees star Juan Soto said, “but at the end of the day, people remember you because you won a World Series.”

Broadway vs. Hollywood has produced the starriest Series in decades, if not ever. The League Championship Series had the highest U.S. TV ratings since 2017, and that's been dwarfed by viewership of the Dodgers from Japan driven by interest in Shohei Ohtani.

“You could easily argue that on a global scale, the Yankees and the Dodgers are the most followed, the most supported, the most visible," Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said.

This figures to be the first World Series featuring five MVPs: the Dodgers' Ohtani, Freeman and Mookie Betts, and the Yankees' Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. There hasn’t been even been a Fall Classic with four since 1971.

Ohtani and Judge are the likely MVPs this year, marking the first Series to feature both since San Francisco’s Buster Posey and Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera in 2012. This will be the first Series with a pair of 50-home run hitters in Judge (58) and Ohtani (54).

In an age of expanding playoffs, this is just the fifth World Series since the Wild Card Era started in 1995 involving the teams with the best records in each league.

“I’m sure I’m going to feel how special it is,” Ohtani said through an interpreter.

Players practiced in 85-degree weather as the sun highlighted Dodger Stadium's sky blue, yellow, light orange and sea foam green seats. Freeman, slowed by a bad ankle, insisted he will be in the lineup for the opener.

While the Dodgers are seeking their eighth title and second in five years, the Yankees are in the World Series for the first time since winning No. 27 in 2009.

“This is where the real fun starts,” Judge said.

Judge realizes a title is necessary for membership among the Yankees' greats.

“They definitely got a different aura walking around here when you got a couple of rings on your fingers,” he said. “I think that’s the biggest thing, is that you see that they’re battle-tested. They’ve been through the grind. They’ve been through the ups and downs and they came out on top.”

Roberts and Yankees manager Aaron Boone have faced each other since April 3, 1992, when Roberts' UCLA Bruins beat Boone's Southern California Trojans' 11-1 UCLA's Jackie Robinson Stadium.

“As we all know in here, you’re a Trojan for life. You’re a Bruin for four years,” Boone said playfully.

Told of Boone's shot, Roberts said: “Ouch! That hurts" and “absolutely disagree, 100 percent.”

Boone texted a Yankees emoji to Roberts when New York's charter flight landed Wednesday.

“There was another emoji I thought about sending him with one finger, but I didn’t,” Roberts said. “I just gave a laughing emoji back.”

Dodgers starter Jack Flaherty, who starts the opener against the Yankees' Gerrit Cole, was high school teammates with Max Fried and Lucas Giolito at Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles. Three years ago, Flaherty was at Houston's Minute Maid Park for World Series Game 6 along with Giolito to watch Fried get the win that finished off the Atlanta Braves' World Series title.

“It's a funny feeling watching that,” Flaherty said, “because you’re excited for one of your best friends and you’re incredibly happy for him, also at that same moment you’re a competitor and you want to be in that situation, you want to be on the field.”

Flaherty is 1-2 with a 7.04 ERA in three postseason starts this year. Cole is 1-1 with a 3.31 ERA in three starts.

Like Roberts, Cole went to UCLA. The pitcher's college rooting aligns more with the Dodgers manager than his own.

“Aaron and I don’t always agree on everything,” he said.

Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner was 7 years old in 1977 when the Yankees won their first title under his father, George. New York clinched the title over the Dodgers with a Game 6 win in the Bronx as Reggie Jackson hit three homers on three straight swings.

“I’d say my two most prevalent memories are Reggie’s third home run, and of course the final popup that was caught by (Mike) Torrez and the pandemonium that ensued,” he recalled this week. “Was a great day!”

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New York Yankees' Juan Soto speaks during media day for the baseball World Series, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani speaks during media day for the baseball World Series against the New York Yankees, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton during media day for the baseball World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

A mural is displayed of Los Angeles Dodgers legend Fernando Valenzuela at Dodger Stadium Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. Valenzuela died Tuesday at age 63. The New York Yankees face the Dodgers in Game 1 of the baseball World Series Friday. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Workers prepare the field for the baseball World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Mookie Betts speaks during media day for the baseball World Series, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani speaks during media day for the baseball World Series against the New York Yankees, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge watches batting practice during media day for the baseball World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Jack Flaherty warms up during batting practice during media day for the baseball World Series against the New York Yankees, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto arrives during batting practice during media day for the baseball World Series against the New York Yankees, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

FILE - Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, left, and his son Charlie, right, participate in spring training baseball workouts at Camelback Ranch in Phoenix, Feb. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, File)

KAZAN, Russia (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin closed a summit of the BRICS bloc of developing economies on Thursday, praising its role as a counterbalance to what he called the West's “perverse methods."

The three-day summit in the city of Kazan was attended by leaders or representatives of 36 countries, highlighting the failure of United States-led efforts to isolate Russia over its actions in Ukraine.

The conflict came up repeatedly at the meeting, which saw the first visit to Russia from United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in more than two years and drew an angry reaction from Kyiv. Guterres called for “a just peace” in Ukraine, in line with the U.N. Charter, international law and General Assembly resolutions. He also urged an immediate end to the fighting in Gaza, Lebanon and Sudan.

At a news conference Thursday night, Putin was asked about former U.S. President Donald Trump's promise to end the fighting in Ukraine.

“What Mr. Trump said recently, what I heard, (is) he spoke about the desire to do everything to end the conflict in Ukraine," Putin said. "It seems to me that he said it sincerely. We certainly welcome statements of this kind, no matter who makes them.”

Putin also was asked about whether any North Korean troops were in Russia, which he neither confirmed nor denied. The U.S. said Wednesday that 3,000 North Korean troops have been deployed to Russia and are training at several locations.

“Images are a serious thing, if there are images, then they reflect something," he said when asked about satellite photos of troops.

Putin noted that lawmakers in Moscow earlier in the day ratified a pact with North Korea on mutual military assistance as part of a “strategic partnership” with Pyongyang.

“We have never doubted that the North Korean leadership takes our agreements seriously. What and how we will do within the framework of this article (of the agreement) is our business,” he said.

The summit covered the deepening of financial cooperation, including the development of alternatives to Western-dominated payment systems, efforts to settle regional conflicts and expansion of the BRICS group of nations.

The alliance that initially included Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa when it was founded in 2009 has expanded to embrace Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Turkey, Azerbaijan and Malaysia have formally applied to become members, and several other countries have expressed interest in joining.

The Kremlin touted the summit as “the largest foreign policy event ever held” by Russia.

Speaking at what was dubbed the “BRICS Plus” session, which included countries that are considering joining the bloc, Putin accused the West of trying to stem the growing power of the Global South with “illegal unilateral sanctions, blatant protectionism, manipulation of currency and stock markets, and relentless foreign influence ostensibly promoting democracy, human rights, and the climate change agenda.”

“Such perverse methods and approaches — to put it bluntly — lead to the emergence of new conflicts and the aggravation of old disagreements,” Putin said. “One example of this is Ukraine, which is being used to create critical threats to Russia’s security, while ignoring our vital interests, our just concerns, and the infringement of the rights of Russian-speaking people.”

Russia has specifically pushed for the creation of a new payment system that would offer an alternative to the global bank messaging network SWIFT and allow Moscow to dodge Western sanctions and trade with partners.

In a joint declaration Wednesday, participants voiced concern about “the disruptive effect of unlawful unilateral coercive measures, including illegal sanctions” and reiterated their commitment to enhancing financial cooperation within BRICS. They noted the benefits of “faster, low-cost, more efficient, transparent, safe and inclusive cross-border payment instruments built upon the principle of minimizing trade barriers and non-discriminatory access.”

China's President Xi Jinping has emphasized the bloc’s role in ensuring global security. Xi noted that China and Brazil have put forward a peace plan for Ukraine and sought to rally broader international support for it. Ukraine has rejected the proposal.

“We should promote the de-escalation of the situation as soon as possible and pave the way for a political settlement,” Xi said.

Putin and Xi had announced a “no-limits” partnership weeks before Russia sent troops into Ukraine in 2022. They already met twice earlier this year, in Beijing in May and at a Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Kazakhstan in July.

Russia’s cooperation with India also has flourished as New Delhi sees Moscow as a time-tested partner since the Cold War despite Russia’s close ties with India’s rival, China. While Western allies want New Delhi to be more active in persuading Moscow to end the fighting in Ukraine, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has avoided condemning Russia while emphasizing a peaceful settlement.

Addressing the BRICS Plus session, Guterres urged an immediate end to the fighting in Gaza, Lebanon, Ukraine and Sudan. “We need peace in Ukraine, a just peace in line with the U.N. Charter, international law and General Assembly resolutions,” he said.

Russia's Kremlin-controlled media touted the summit as a massive policy coup that left the West fearing the loss of its global clout. State TV shows and news bulletins underscored that BRICS countries account for about half the world's population comprising the “global majority” and challenging Western “hegemony.”

TV hosts elaborately quoted Western media reports saying that the summit highlighted the failure to isolate Moscow. “The West, the U.S., Washington, Brussels, London ended up isolating themselves,” said Yevgeny Popov, host of a popular political talk show on state channel Rossiya 1.

Russian President Vladimir Putin holds a press conference at BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. (Maxim Shipenkov, Pool Photo via AP)

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud attends Outreach/BRICS Plus format session at BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. (Vladimir Astapkovich/Photo host brics-russia2024.ru via AP)

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, left, and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev attend Outreach/BRICS Plus format session on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. (Ramil Sitdikov/Photo host brics-russia2024.ru via AP)

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres attends Outreach/BRICS Plus format session at the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. (Maxim Shemetov, Pool Photo via AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, gestures while Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa shake hands during a family photo ceremony prior to Outreach/BRICS Plus format session on the sidelines of the the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. (Grigory Sysoyev/Photo host brics-russia2024.ru via AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres shake hands during family photo ceremony prior to Outreach/BRICS Plus format session on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. (Grigory Sysoyev/Photo host brics-russia2024.ru via AP)

Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, speak during Outreach/BRICS Plus format session at BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. (Maxim Shemetov, Pool Photo via AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa shake hands during a family photo ceremony prior to Outreach/BRICS Plus format session at BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. (Alexander Nemenov, Pool Photo via AP)

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives at the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, Pool)

The heads of delegations pose for a family photo prior to Outreach/BRICS Plus format session at the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. (Alexander Nemenov, Pool Photo via AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, shakes hands with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during posing for a family photo prior to Outreach/BRICS Plus format session at the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. (Maxim Shipenkov, Pool Photo via AP)

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrives at the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, Pool)

The heads of delegations pose for a family photo prior to Outreach/BRICS Plus format session at the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. (Maxim Shipenkov, Pool Photo via AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa laugh during a family photo ceremony prior to Outreach/BRICS Plus format session at BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. (Maxim Shipenkov, Pool Photo via AP)

Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin attend a family photo ceremony prior to Outreach/BRICS Plus format session at the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. (Maxim Shipenkov, Pool Photo via AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and other participants pose for a family photo prior to Outreach/BRICS Plus format session at BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. (Alexander Nemenov, Pool Photo via AP)