Aaron Judge has been on another level this season. He is leading the league in most home runs. However, the New York Yankees are unable to hold on to their winning momentum. They started the season really well. Moreover, they were the first team this season to win 50 games. Around mid-June, they were 50-22. It was looking great for the NY side until things started to fall apart from June 13 onwards. The starting pitchers like Luis Gil, Nestor Cortes, Carlos Rodon, Marcus Stroman, and so on, who more or less had a decent season so far, had a dip in their performance. Currently, ahead of the July Trade Deadline, the Yankees are looking for other available starting pitching options.
As things got messed up defensively, the Bronx Bombers went 6-16 in the next 22 games in June. Later, they had a poor start to July as well as they went 4-8 before the Midsummer Classic. Right after the All-Star break, the NY side had a four-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays that the two teams shared 2-2, eventually. Currently, the Yankees are busy dealing with their city rivals in a two-game series. The Mets managed to win the series opener 3-2. That’s because they were able to keep Judge quite, walking him four times.
Why Did Aaron Judge Defend The Tactics Of The Mets?
In the post-game interview with YES Network, Aaron Judge said why the pitching strategy of the Mets did not surprise or annoy him. He mentioned, “No, I think Jose Quintana was out there competing.” Moreover, Judge added that the southpaw has been quite successful against him throughout his career. On top of that, the Yankees captain believes that the Mets were being very careful because they were aware of what he and Juan Soto have been doing throughout the season. He said, “I think the Mets are just trying to be careful.” Moreover, the 2022 AL MVP feels that he needs to pass the baton to the next guy. However, JD Davis, Anthony Volpe, Gleyber Torres, who came after Judge did not quiet capitalize on the opportunity.
Anyway, the Yankees captain added that it was not really that frustrating. He noted that he would not mind walking four or more times on any given day if it comes with a win. Moreover, Aaron Judge pointed out that it is a team game, and it is part of it. Finally, he said, “I could go 4-for-4 like today, but still the team could not win.” Prior to Tuesday’s game, Quintana had a 2-6 record against the Yankees captain. He threw 14 times at Aaron Judge in Game 1, and 12 of it were just balls, only one was a strike. Clearly, Jose’s plan was to just walk Judge and not give away a hit.
The Yankees Captain Praised The City Rivals
Aaron Judge did not have a great day on Tuesday against the crosstown rivals. As a result, Game 1 belonged to the NY Mets. Moreover, the crosstown rivals have won all the games so far against the Yankees in the ongoing regular season. So far, they have a 3-0 record against the Bronx Bombers. On Wednesday, if the Mets win again, they can sweep their city rivals for the year.
Lately, Aaron Judge heaped praise for the NY Mets, saying, “They are a good ballclub.” He said there had been a lot of fun whenever they played against the Mets. Game 1 was a high-energy game, but Judge is looking forward to the game “Tomorrow (Wednesday’s game).”
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