Friday Faceoff: With a World Series game on the line, would you rather have Aaron Judge or Shohei Ohtani at the plate?

Mark Kiszla, sports columnist

Answer: Aaron Judge

When the World Series pits the New York Yankees versus the Los Angeles Dodgers, isn’t it like picking between the Evil Empire and Corporate Greed? How is anybody west of the Hudson River or east of Chavez Ravine supposed to have a rooting interest?

As much as I hope both teams lose, this World Series is must-see TV for the Wolverine versus Iron Man showdown between the two most fearsome hitters on the planet, Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani.

With zero apologies to Barry Bonds, Ohtani and Judge produced two of the most naturally remarkable offensive seasons in the history of baseball. Ohtani boldly went where no MLB player has ever gone, smacking 54 home runs and swiping 59 bases. And Judge was positively Ruthian with 58 homers and a .450 on-base percentage.

Whether you go with the old-school stat line of batting average, homers and RBI or prefer the new-age slash line of on-base percentage, slugging and OPS, Judge was more dangerous at the plate than Ohtani this season in almost every way.

So I must give the advantage to Judge in any situation at the plate, from no score in the bottom of the first inning to a tie game with two outs in the seventh.

And after Rangers versus Diamondbacks a year ago, which made for one of the more unwatchable World Series in my lifetime, I will be cheering for both Ohtani and Judge to wreck a fastball or crush a hanging slider every time they step in the batter’s box.

Kyle Fredrickson, Broncos beat reporter

Answer: Shohei Ohtani

It’s Shohei Ohtani’s world. We’re just living in it.

He’s been the spark plug for this Dodgers lineup all postseason. Ohtani blasted a three-run homer in the NLDS to beat the Padres. He reached base safely 17 times in the NLCS — a Dodgers postseason record — to sink the Mets. Ohtani is also 6 of 9 with runners in scoring position in these playoffs. Who else would you trust?

It’s hard to imagine a player facing more pressure, too. Ohtani signed a monster 10-year, $700-million deal in December with most of the money deferred in later years to help LA build around him. It’s working.

Ohtani didn’t back down from the pressure of signing the biggest contract in professional sports history. Instead, he made history as the first 50-50 player after not pitching this season. My take? Let him take the mound in this World Series. That would be epic.

I agree with Kiz that choosing fandom between the Dodgers and Yankees is like eating spoiled milk or rotten fruit. It’s going to taste bad either way.

But I’ll take Ohtani to deliver magical moments that make us forget, if only for a moment, how long it will be before the Rockies are back in the World Series. Don’t hold your breath.