Aaron Judge is gradually coming back to his groove. It is good news for the New York Yankees. Since the beginning of the 2024 season, the slow start of the 2022 American League Most Valued Player has been causing tensions among all the fans. After what happened last year, fans are trying to find something to look up to. In the previous season, the Bronx Bombers failed to make the postseason for the first time since 2016. Moreover, the NY side finished with an awful 82-80 record. It was the worst season for the New York Yankees in the last 30 years. On top of that, Aaron Judge looked like he would have a great season but ended up getting severely injured. Albeit, the Yankees captain hit 37 home runs last year, he hurt his toe real bad.
It turned out to be a torn ligament. He missed 35 games on the trot for over a couple of months. Then, coming to 2024, he hurt his abs in the Spring Training and missed a few games. Later, he had a pretty slow start to the 2024 regular season, hitting his homer after seven games. But in the latest series against the Milwaukee Brewers, Aaron Judge had an impressive outing, and so did his team. However, Judge could not keep controversies away as the Brewers claim that umpires missed an “Interference call” on the Yankees captain. However, the AL 2022 MVP denied such claims, saying, “I had no intention of obstructing.”
Aaron Jude Claims That He Has Been “Sliding Like That For Years”
The 32-year-old superstar became a topic of controversy on Sunday during the sixth inning of the third game against the Milwaukee Brewers. Albeit, Judge led his side to enjoy a massive win of 15-5 against the Brewers, he could not keep controversies away. The Yankees scored 15 runs in back-to-back games. But the controversy in the sixth inning was about the Yankees captain sliding into second base raising his left arm really high. That’s when Willy Adames, the Brewer’s shortstop tried to throw to make a complete double play. But what happened was that the ball hit the hand of the AL 2022 MVP. As a result, Alex Verdugo managed to reach the first base comfortably. At that time, the NY side was enjoying a 7-run lead. Later, MLB insider Bryan Hoch reported what Aaron Judge said about the controversy. The Yankees captain mentioned that he has been sliding like that for years but something like that never happened before in his life.
Aaron Judge on his slide into 2B: "That's never happened before in my life. I've been sliding like that for years. I was more concerned about how [Willy] Adames has a great arm. I thought I broke my finger there. There was no concern on my part [about interference]. I've been…
— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) April 28, 2024
Judge was thinking about Willy having a great arm. At one point, the NY side’s captain thought that he broke his fingers after the ball hit him. He said, “I was not thinking about interference.” After all, Judge has done that for years. But Pat Murphy, the manager of the Brewers, was not happy with the umpire’s call. He argued that the umpires should have called for interference. Later, in the post-game interview with the press, Murphy mentioned that he thinks Judge intentionally tried to obstruct. Even then Murphy said he is not sure about Judge’s intention. It is because according to the Brewer’s manager, Aaron looks like a wonderful man but very competitive. Hence, Murphy thinks there is a good chance Aaron Judge did it purposely.
What Does The Umpires Think?
In the post-game interview, the crew chief Andy Fletcher had to agree with the Brewer’s manager and players. Fletcher said it was an “Incorrect call.” Moreover, as Curt Hogg, the Crew Chief, said on the field, they did everything they could. They got together to come up with the correct answer.
Crew chief Andy Fletcher said they missed the call on Judge’s slide.
— Curt Hogg (@CyrtHogg) April 28, 2024
“On the field we got together and did the best we could to come up with a correct answer. After looking at it on replay, it appears that the call was missed. It was an unnatural part of his slide.”
However, after looking at the replay off the field, the umpires concluded that they missed the call. After a close look, Fletcher said, “It needed to be called interference.” He also agreed that Aaron Judge’s raised hand was not the natural part of the slide.
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