New York Yankees captain, Aaron Judge, expressed immense gratitude to the fans for their support at the spring training game.
The New York Yankees began their Grapefruit League campaign on Saturday. Unfortunately, they lost the first game against the Phillies. However, on Sunday, they played two consecutive matches and emerged victorious in both of them. Moreover, the young guns were given a chance to showcase their talent, and the guys did not disappoint.
Meanwhile, Aaron Judge marked his first game as the captain of the team. The slugger is coming off another impressive season where he hit 62 home runs and 131 RBIs, earning him his first AL-MVP award. The 30-year-old is entering his seventh season with the Yankees with a prolonged nine-year extension contract and has become the face of the franchise.
Aaron Judge Gets Massive Cheer From Crowd In His First Spring Training Game
The New York Yankees faced the Atlanta Braves on Sunday. After losing out to Phillies in the league opener, the Yanks added a much more experienced set of players to the lineup. Further, the Yanks’ newly appointed captain, Aaron Judge, marked his first appearance of the 2023 season. Moreover, as the slugger set foot on George Steinbrenner Field in Florida, the crowd gave him a rousing welcome. Judge’s first spring training stint lasted four innings, wherein he scored a single and a walk across the four.
However, the crowd support was the highlight of the game for Aaron Judge. After the game, he spoke to Yes Network and said hearing the home fans chanting your name during the game is the best feeling in the world. Further, Judge added that when he joined the free agency in the off-season, he hoped the cheers and chantings never stopped. Aaron said the crowd cheers are felt everywhere, and it’s the one thing he cherishes the most in the home ballparks. 9,776 fans attended the game in Florida and went bonkers when Judge arrived at the plate. Certainly, the love Aaron Judge shares with the New Yorkers is highly mutual.
“Hearing your name get called for the Yankees never gets old,” said Aaron Judge.
Yankees Star Slugger Happy With The New Rule Changes
The MLB announced new rules for the 2023 MLB season, the pitch clock, restricted shifts, and bigger bases. Further, the New York Yankees did first-hand practice at the spring training sessions with the help of official umpires. Coming on to the Grapefruit League, Yankees slugger, Aaron Judge, played under this new set of rules for the very first time and expressed his views on the same.
Judge said he liked the pitch lock rule. He said the new rule would help speed up the game and benefit the hitters in the long run. Moreover, Aaron Judge said the pitch lock rule would prompt the pitchers to run around a little more often, and hence they would lose their breath in the process. This will eventually slow down the thrower’s efficiency, and the hitter can take advantage of the situation.