ARLINGTON – You wouldn’t be able to tell by looking at the box score, but Ben Rice claimed a piece of the Yankees’ team home run lead on Monday evening. Aaron Judge made sure it lasted for only about two minutes.
Rice and Judge went back to back in the third inning with their 10th and 11th home runs of the season, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. also went deep to continue his hot streak as the Yankees defeated the Rangers, 4-2, at Globe Life Field.
“I couldn’t let him catch me in homers; I had to make sure I got one after that,” Judge said. “Benny Rice has been our sparkplug all year, and he’s going to continue to do that.”
In what manager Aaron Boone described as a “hold your beer moment,” Rice and Judge became the second pair of Yankees teammates to hit 10 or more homers in the club’s first 29 games, a feat previously achieved only by Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle (1956).
“I’m just trying to keep him honest; keep him motivated. He’s getting a little complacent,” Rice said with a wink. “I don’t know how long this is going to last, but I’m enjoying it right now, being this close.”
Judge’s drive didn’t land far from where he hit one of his most memorable career homers, his 62nd of the 2022 season, which eclipsed Roger Maris (61) as the American League’s single-season home run king.
Even before that landed, Judge’s place as an elite superstar was secure. Now, the captain sees Rice emerging as someone who belongs on the same level.
“It’s must-watch TV at this point, when he steps up to the plate,” Judge said. “Doesn’t matter if nobody’s on, guy on, tough situation. He’s going to put something in play hard, or he’s going to take his walk and pass the baton. It’s impressive to watch, and I get a front-row seat, hitting right behind him now. It makes my job easy when he does that.”
Judge knows better than to make vacation plans during the All-Star break, and it’s not too early to begin thinking about Rice’s candidacy, too. His 1.191 OPS is second in the Majors only to the Astros’ Yordan Alvarez (1.220), with Judge (1.010) not far behind. Judge said he saw this coming.
“You saw the underlying numbers and knew it was just a matter of time for a guy like that,” Judge said. “For him to start off how he has and have that confidence and trust to say, ‘Hey, I belong here, and I can do what I need to do at the highest level.’ I can’t wait to see what he does this year. It’s going to be impressive. He’s one of the best hitters in the game.”
With their 10th win in 12 games, the Yankees (19-10) built upon the American League’s best record, providing more than enough support for Max Fried.
“I’m glad I don’t have to face them, let’s put it that way,” said Fried, who allowed four hits and walked two over six scoreless innings. “Those are two of the best hitters in the game, and they’re seeing the ball well. You know that they’re feeding off each other, too.”
Fried carried over the adjustment he made during his last start against the Red Sox at Fenway Park, when he abandoned his windup and pitched exclusively from the stretch after early command issues.
“It’s not like I’ll never do it again, but we’ll give it some time,” Fried said. “If it feels natural and feels right, I’ll roll back into it.”
All three Yankees homers were hit off Jack Leiter, who surrendered four runs over six innings. Chisholm’s homer was his third in the past seven games, and he’s batting .357 (10-for-28) with seven RBIs over that span.
Joc Pederson hit a late homer off Camilo Doval as the bullpen wobbled, with a Chisholm error extending David Bednar’s workload in the ninth.
“It got a little dicey there,” Boone said.
Judge’s homer was the 379th of his career, tying Orlando Cepeda and Tony Perez for 75th all time. While Judge has collected hits in 16 of his past 18 games, the Yankees don’t even believe he is completely locked in yet.
As Boone put it, “I’ve just come to accept that he’s different than everyone else. He’s playing a different game.”
And considering that, Judge’s presence figures to make him the perfect protector behind someone like Rice, who suggested he and Judge could continue these kinds of light-hearted battles all summer long.
“I think we’re seeing him at his floor right now, which is kind of crazy,” Rice said. “But he’s looked so good. His approach is always so great. Obviously, the power is always there. And he’s our leader, he’s a captain. It’s definitely a pleasure to have him with us every day.”