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After crashing out of the postseason, the New York Yankees traveled to Toronto to face the Blue Jays and play for the pride of the franchise. The Jays, who overpowered the Bombers for most half of the season, seemed rattled this time around. They went scoreless in the Yanks’ 2-0 series opener win on Tuesday, and the visitors took full advantage of the pressure on Wednesday.

New York Yankees remain a force that has nothing to lose. That’s what makes them a lethal lineup to play against. The Blue Jays encountered the same as the Bronx Bombers came out all guns blazing to completely oust the Jays from competition. The top contributors to the extraordinary performance were none other than the formidable duo Gerrit Cole and Aaron Judge.

   

Aaron Judge & Gerrit Cole’s Heroics Helps Yankees Seal Series Vs. Blue Jays!

Gerrit Cole
Gerrit Cole tips his cap to a standing ovation from the Yankees crowd after pitching 8 innings. via X NYY

Aaron Judge, who missed a third of the season due to a toe injury, picked up pace in the second half. Despite being half-healed, the slugger is on the same pace as last year. Had he fulfilled the quota of 162 games, the Yankees captain could have set up another home run record for the second time in a row. On Wednesday, Judge slammed two home runs in the Yanks 6-0 win over Jays. His tally now stands at 37 long hits in mere 103 games. The fans, meanwhile, couldn’t be happier. Apart from Judge, the ace Gerrit Cole stepped up for his final start of the season in style.

Gerrit Cole pitched a perfect game in his final start to close the season with a 2.63 ERA and 222 strikeouts in 209 innings. With the latest perfect game, Cole has most definitely locked his career’s maiden CY Young Award. The minimal competition ceased to exist after Cole’s Wednesday’s heroics. “This is Gerrit Cole’s era, that’s for sure. He’s the benchmark for what an ace is supposed to be like on and off the field,” reckoned Aaron Judge. Meanwhile, the Yankees manager, Aaron Boone, heaped praise on the formidable duo. He believes it’s kind of fitting that both the superstars of the lineup stepped up together to secure a commanding win. It’s a major confidence booster for the franchise as they kick off 2024 season preparations.

Fans In Awe Of Aaron Judge’s 2 Home Run Game Vs. Jays!

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Aaron Judge runs the bases after hitting a solo home run on May 30, 2023 in Seattle. (AP Photo/Caean Couto)

Meanwhile, the Yankee fans, who had a tough year this season, finally got a reason to smile as their captain stepped up on the occasion. As Aaron Judge slammed back-to-back homers on Wednesday, the fans back in the Bronx rejoiced the mesmerizing moment. They hailed the slugger on the internet and lauded his resilience.

Aaron Judge’s home run tally is now at 37 in 103 games. At this pace, he would have scored around 60 homers throughout the course of 162 games, excluding the postseason games. Thus, it’s safe to say that without the toe injury, the Yankees’ 2023 season could have been a lot different. But it seems it wasn’t meant to be.