It's easy for baseball fans to see stars such as Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge as heroes. But superheroes? Well, with their skills, it's not much of a stretch. And that's the idea behind a new campaign launched just in time for Opening Day.
"Heroes of the Game," a collaboration between MLB and the top creators in the anime world, uses videos and social imagery to imagine Ohtani, Judge, Paul Skenes and Juan Soto as larger-than-life heroes whose powers are beyond those of mere mortals.
"Who from this era will prove worthy of legend?" dramatic narration asks before showcasing the otherworldly prowess of Ohtani, Skenes, Judge and Soto. "The path of legend is laid before them. Who will emerge victorious? The world awaits and the journey begins."
The campaign launched Wednesday across MLB's media platforms, including MLB.com, MLB Network, MLB.TV and the league's social handles.
While Ohtani, Judge, Skenes and Soto are the initial focus of the series, "they're not the only ones who hunger for victory," as one video states. Videos for other players are being developed that will incorporate live action with animation in response to big moments during the season.
As a tease to what may await, each video in the series closes with a shot of many other players gathered and looking down at an illuminated stadium from atop a mountain.
The names on their backs include Harper, Acu?a, De La Cruz, Trout and Witt Jr. -- just a few of the players who could achieve animated superhero status as the 2025 season progresses.
Watch the first video above.