Chief Correspondent, Matt Tallarini
Aaron Judge has been having a season that will be one for the history books. Batting .313 and still on an MVP season pace Judge has had the whole city of New York and the country witnessing greatness. The season for the New York Yankees and Aaron Judge has been an interesting one, no contract, ongoing negotiations, speculation about his future. Will he be back in the Bronx?
The 96-58 Yankees are Champions of the AL East Division but that is not holding back from the history of the Pinstripes, the American League, and the tale of Roger Maris’s 61 Home Run record. Aaron Judge during his last few plate appearances has had several deep count at bats along with being walked multiple times in the first two games of the series in Toronto. In Judge’s first at bat during the final game of the three game set in Toronto he drew a walk on a full count against Blue Jay’s starting pitcher Tim Mayza. The Yankees had great at bats following Judge’s leadoff walk to start the game as Josh Donaldson and Oswald Peraza had two key singles to drive in the first two runs of the ball game. In the top of the second inning with no outs and two men on base Judge stepped into the batter’s box with eyes on history once again only to fly out on an 0-1 count to right fielder Teoscar Hernandez.
The Yankees were still up 3-0 until the bottom of the sixth inning when Danny Jansen went yard against Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole to cut the Yankee lead to two runs. A few at bats later in the bottom of the sixth inning Bo Bichette drives a single past shortstop Oswald Peraza which led Whit Merrifield to score and close in on the Yankees in a 3-2 ball game. The Blue Jays ended up tying the game in the bottom of the sixth inning with a sacrifice fly from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. with Jackie Bradley tagging up from third base to score the run. In the top of the 7th inning and Judge batting second All Rise had another shot to capitalize on history.
Aaron Hicks led off the top of the 7th inning with a single to center field. Aaron Judge stepped to the plate with eyes on history. Could this be the at bat? Could this be number 61 for Aaron? On the 8th pitch of the full count battle at bat Judge adjusted on a belt-high sinker and drove it over the left center field wall for a 2 run homer to take a commanding 5-3 Yankees lead and a launch his name into the history books for number 61 of the 2022 season. The Yankees never looked back and went onto win the final game of the three game set against the Blue Jays 8-3 and sparking an opportunity for Judge to break the record in front of the home crowd this weekend against the Baltimore Orioles. It has been 61 years since Maris’s set the record. It is truly fitting Judge is seeking to become the first AL player to break the Maris record, which has stood since the 1961 season which was the first year of the 162 game schedule. Along with Judge hitting the 61st Home Run of the season on the 61st Anniversary Year of Roger Maris’s 61st Home Run.
During the postgame from last night’s action Aaron Judge’s mom Patty who was in attendance in Toronto came to the under pass of Rogers Centre near the Yankees clubhouse and met up with her son to capture the moment of his 61st Home Run ball in their possession. The Maris family has been attending all of the recent games witnessing the challenge to Roger’s record and they state that Maris’s record is the real home run record in baseball.
