Aaron Judge, the New York Yankees torchbearer, has had a tumbling season this year. His maiden season as the captain of the franchise turned out to be a nightmare as the team fell to a record low in terms of numbers and standings. Earlier this week, the Bombers officially fell out of the playoff race as well.
Individually, Aaron Judge could not be a guiding force for the Yankees this season. A toe injury kept him out for two months, during which his team witnessed a dramatic downfall. Having said that, the captain returned half-healed to support his teammates during this tough time. He recently had a heroic moment, which was applauded by his teammate, DJ LeMahieu.
DJ LeMahieu Announces Aaron Judge’s Return To Form
Aaron Judge did return with a compromised toe on July 28 but failed to salvage the New York Yankees’ playoff dream. After all, the damage was already done, and there was nothing he could do other than stand as a pillar of support for his mates back in the clubhouse. Still, Judge tried to entertain the fans with his individual offensive production. He hit multiple homers to set up the fastest 250-career homers record. However, lately, the captain has faced troubles since his average fall to .204. Regardless, for a potent hitter like Judge, a bounceback always stays around the corner. He broke the shackles during a recent four-game series against rivals Boston Red Sox.
Grand Slam for The Captain 🫡#AllRise pic.twitter.com/9SOYVWoTH6
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 14, 2023
During the series finale, Aaron Judge slammed a grand slam in the top of the second inning to lift the Yankees lead to 5-1. With all bases covered, the captain took a typical swing, which landed straight over center field. It unlocked Judge’s 32nd season homer and sixth career grand slam. The whole Yankee clubhouse relished the moment, especially baseman DJ LeMahieu. DJ, who has witnessed Judge’s struggles closely, was happy to see him back in form. “Classic Judgie swing right there,” said LeMahieu. The baseman was moved by the way the slugger handled the fastball and, in fact, had the guts to hammer it out of the park. On the other hand, Judge, who refused to get shut down for the season, enjoyed his moment and was happy to contribute.
Aaron Judge Urges Yankees To Take Care Of Business!
Meanwhile, Aaron Judge sent out a strong message to his team following the 3-1 series win over the Boston Red Sox. He says that the team should focus on stacking up as many wins as possible because that is all the Yankees can do now. Since the playoffs are out of the window, there is nothing left to look for. “Take care of business and then move on to the next one,” added Judge.
Aaron Judge definitely looked a little disappointed despite securing a series win. The Yankees officially fell out of the playoff race prior to the Red Sox series. Hence, the captain is taking his time to suck it up. Nevertheless, he is determined to give fans something to cheer for by finishing the season on a high. That is the only reason why Judge refused to hang up the boots for 2023.