BRONX, NY — Aaron Judge was due having gone 16 games without a home run and it was only a matter of time. Then again notorious home run hitters tend to hit them in bunches. Judge, though, is more concerned about winning than establishing another new season American League home run record he established in 2022.
Those 62 home runs were established at a record pace, the Yankees captain before hitting his last two three weeks ago in the Bronx against the Rockies was rivaling the record. He is no longer stuck at 51 home runs and number 52 Friday night in the 7th inning at Yankee Stadium was a three-weeks worth of home runs.
Captain. Clutch. Grand. Slam.#ALLRISE pic.twitter.com/VBZxeP8cIW
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 14, 2024
The grand slam homer put the Yankees in the lead, 5-4 they would not relinquish. The sellout crowd of over 45,000 chanted MVP prior to the Judge at-bat and after he came out of the dugout for the curtain call.
More importantly, the Yankees fourth win in their last five moved them three games ahead of the Orioles in the AL East, longest division lead since July as the two teams have been sharing and going-back- and-forth. They are inching closer to clinching a spot in the postseason with the Orioles losing to the Tigers Friday night.
Judge was never concerned about a home run drought. Illustrious home run hitters have their streaks and after a drought tend to go on a tear. And at this time of the season a Judge home run tear looms to be dangerous to teams the Yankees face down the stretch and in the playoffs.
The Yankees needed three runs to tie Friday night’s game and Aaron Judge delivered with four – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
But Judge is only focused on playing baseball and helping the Yankees win ball games. The culmination he says is win a World Series that has eluded the Yankees since their last one in 2009.
“Tonight was rocking, especially in that seventh inning,” Judge said. “Kind of felt like a playoff atmosphere there in the seventh inning as we were kind of rallying. So, we’ve been waiting for that, that’s for sure.”
Waiting for the home run for sure. Prior to the slam, Judge was in the longest home run drought of his career. Again, over the years the known home run hitters, perhaps put themselves under pressure, expectations from fans more that Judge is expected to hit a long one out of the yard.
However, not for Judge who never felt he was under pressure to hit the home run. But when he does they always have an impact as the grand slam did in the Yankees win.
ALL RISE FOR AARON JUDGE'S GO-AHEAD GRAND SLAM 🤩🔥
NTT #BallparkCam | @Yankees pic.twitter.com/Ao3JC72O9p
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) September 14, 2024
He also has MLB leading 130 RBI, and a leader in the AL MVP discussion, again not an emphasis for Judge. And establishing a new season home run record will be difficult with 14 games remaining. He said the drought could be longer at some point during his career,
When asked about the Yankees gaining another game on the Orioles, he said “Hopefully nobody’s looking at the standings. I’m certainly not. I really don’t focus on hitting homers. I don’t focus on any of that.”
But the Yankees fans focus on every Judge at-bat. They erupted and the stadium was at a season crescendo high, noticed in the dugout and with manager Aaron Boone.
Yankees fans zone in on each and every pitch in Aaron Judge’s at-bats, never getting up from their seats – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
“This was one of those really cool regular season moments you get at Yankee Stadium,” Boone said. “He’s going to go through this again in another few weeks, at some point next year whenever, and he’ll be fine. That’s who he is. He’s as good as I’ve ever seen at dealing with all that is the season. He doesn’t get on the roller coaster ride. He’s obviously incredibly confident, I don’t worry about him at all.”
Regardless, the Aaron Judge home run changes a complexion and outcome. And for the Yankees their third straight win comes after two wins with extra inning walk-offs and without the Judge home run. But does this mean that his home run is why the Yankees have a better chance to win?
“I think it’s really just trying to cut the season into small sample sizes,” Judge said. “What do I have to do today and go out there and do it.”
Yankee Stadium had one of the most electric crowds of the year on Friday night – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Doing it with the home run is what Judge did Friday night and that is a difference maker. Another home run tear is possible. Notorious home run hitters can be dangerous this juncture of the season.
Rich Mancuso is senior writer and contributor Latinosports.com – Twitter (X): Ring 786, Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso
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