This story was excerpted from Bryan Hoch’s Yankees Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
NEW YORK – Aaron Judge stood near the front of the Yankees’ handshake line after Wednesday’s 6-1 victory over the Rockies, having contributed two singles while playing eight innings in the field.
He wasn’t one of the stars of the night; that spotlight belonged to George Lombard Jr., who cracked his first career grand slam, and Will Warren, who hurled six sharp innings. But Judge’s at-bats were competitive, impressing Cody Bellinger, who marveled that it shouldn’t have looked so easy.
“I think he’s special. I really do,” Bellinger said. “He understands his swing probably better than anyone. I feel like the timing and the preparation, it’s something [where] he understands what he needs to do for himself.”
Even before Judge knocked on manager Aaron Boone’s door in a San Diego hotel late last week, volunteering to be activated in the wake of Trent Grisham’s hamstring injury, the captain has not been shy about voicing his intent to get back to work.
Adamant that he did not want to “waste at-bats” on a Minor League rehab assignment, Judge faced live pitching at a near-empty Yankee Stadium on Monday, then went hitless in three at-bats while playing six innings on Tuesday in the series opener against Colorado.
After the game, Judge expressed that he was “not happy about” being lifted early, even though the Yankees had communicated they intended to treat his return almost like a Spring Training game.
“He told me that during the game, too, and the day before,” Boone said. “So I know that. I like the fact that he wants to be in there, because he’s feeling good.”
Judge got his wish to play deeper into the night on Wednesday. He flared a soft single to left field off Tomoyuki Sugano’s third-inning splitter and added a more Judge-like hit (97.9 mph exit velocity) to left field on a Juan Mejia fastball in the eighth.
“The more we do it, obviously the more comfortable he’ll get,” Boone said. “It’s good to see him throw a couple of knocks out there.”
According to Judge’s teammates, his presence creates a ripple effect for the lineup, one that does not show up in the box score. Luis Garcia Jr. said he already senses that he’s been pitched differently.
“It says a lot about him, the player,” Garcia said through interpreter Marlon Abreu. “You know how much he wants to win, how much he wants to be in the lineup, understanding where we are. This is the final stretch for us, and he’s that kind of player. He’s the captain.”
Perhaps most importantly, Judge has not faced a situation that would risk the healing of his right rib. Judge has yet to be challenged much in the field, with his only play thus far coming on Kyle Karros’ fourth-inning foul pop Wednesday, and has said he will protect his body if at all possible – at least, until the postseason.
“Physically, he’s in a really good place,” Boone said. “I just want to make sure he continues to be in a good place in this build-up.”
Boone had suggested that Judge would play two of the three games against the Rockies, though he said it’s also “a fluid situation” that could evolve through the weekend against the Mets. That suggests there is wiggle room for Judge to lobby for more innings, and he’ll likely do just that.
“Obviously, he was ready to get back, itching to get back,” Bellinger said. “I’m just glad that he’s healthy. Offensively, he’s going to help us a ton. Defensively, just having him on the field – he’s the best player in the game. He makes everyone better around him.”