Shohei Ohtani merchandise draws fan backlash in New York ahead of Dodgers‑Yankees series

Stores in New York, including the MLB Flagship Store in Manhattan, are displaying advertisements for Shohei Ohtani and selling a joint Ohtani‑Aaron Judge collectible ahead of the upcoming Dodgers versus Yankees games. The items, such as pin‑back badges featuring the two players, have been criticized on social media for poor likenesses, with fans calling the design “laughably bad” and noting mismatched facial features.

Ohtani is expected to appear as a designated hitter for the Dodgers after sitting out his scheduled pitching start due to a lingering knee discomfort, while Judge remains sidelined with a rib fracture. The merchandise promotion follows a previous limited‑edition Ohtani‑Judge head‑to‑head item that sold out quickly during an earlier matchup.