Could the World Series begin with a home run?

There will be plenty of power in the leadoff spot on Friday night at Rogers Centre, thanks to Shohei Ohtani and George Springer . The pair combined for 87 regular-season home runs in 2025. According to Elias, that will set a new record for the most combined regular-season home runs by leadoff hitters in Game 1 of a World Series, surpassing the 74 home runs hit between Kyle Schwarber and Jose Altuve in 2022.

Ohtani led the Majors with 12 leadoff home runs this year, while Springer – who didn’t move to the leadoff spot until mid-August – hit three. But we’re not just talking about leadoff home runs. How about first-pitch leadoff home runs? It’s happened in the Fall Classic before. In 2017, Dodgers leadoff hitter Chris Taylor greeted

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