Advertisement

Aaron Judge blasts first homer of playoffs after Yankees shake up Game 3 lineup vs. Guardians

pete caldera, northjersey.com
·3 min read
14

CLEVELAND – There were swaths of Yankees Universe questioning the merits of Aaron Judge continuing to bat leadoff during the everything-is-magnified postseason.

And then, there were Alex Rodriguez’s comments about the struggling slugger's lineup placement.

During his studio analysis for Fox Sports, A-Rod termed it “gimmicky’’ and “ridiculous’’ for Judge – coming off an AL record 62-homer regular season – to hit first in the AL Division Series.

Dropped back into the No. 2 spot for the Yankees, Judge homered in his second at-bat during Saturday night's third inning, in Game 3 of the AL Division Series.

Yankees slugger Aaron Judge hits a home run in the third inning.
Yankees slugger Aaron Judge hits a home run in the third inning.

NEVER MISS A MOMENT: Follow our sports newsletter for daily updates

And it was a monstrous, game-tying two-run shot to center field by Judge off Cleveland Guardians starter Triston McKenzie, a blast estimated to have traveled 449 feet.

Prior to that at-bat, Judge was 0-for-9 with seven strikeouts in the best-of-five ALDS, knotted a one game apiece entering Saturday's critical Game 3.

In his on-air commentary, A-Rod called on somebody with the Yankees to “immediately’’ change out Judge from the leadoff spot, prior to Game 3.

“I heard that,’’ Yankees manager Aaron Boone said with a smile Saturday afternoon. “(If) A-Rod says it…’’

It wasn’t the ex-Yankee who influenced Boone.

The manager said his own instincts led him to bat Judge in the No. 2 spot against Cleveland's tough pitching staff.

“Just kind of woke up on it,’’ Boone said of dropping Judge down one spot, after going 0-for-8 with seven strikeouts and one walk in the first two ALDS games.

“Let me do that, not to have all the focus be on the first at-bat of the game. Settle in,’’ said Boone, who inserted Gleyber Torres at leadoff and maintained Anthony Rizzo directly behind Judge, batting third.

“I feel like we’re a little more whole than we were even 10 days ago as far as where G (Giancarlo Stanton) is right now (plus) Gleyber (and) Rizzo for that matter.

“So, I just feel like it’s more doable now.’’

Judge has been hitting leadoff for the most part since Sept. 3, following injuries to DJ LeMahieu (toe) and Andrew Benintendi (hand).

LeMahieu and Benintendi did not make the ALDS roster, though they might be in play if the Yanks advance to the AL Championship Series.

But as the Yanks’ leadoff hitter, Judge withstood the pressures of besting Roger Maris’ franchise and AL record 61 home runs, and the Yanks regained their footing to capture the AL East title.

Yet, in a small postseason window, “without DJ and without Benny, we don’t really have the ideal leadoff hitter other than Judge,’’ Boone said. “But I just felt like I wanted to get him there in that two-hole.’’

That’s where Judge has batted most of the season, though Boone admitted that Judge’s struggles over the first ALDS games played “a little bit’’ of a factor in switching him back.

“But a lot of it too is (Cleveland’s pitching),’’ Boone said. “Their staff is filled with a lot of neutral and reverse-split righties.’’

Here's the Yankees' Game 3 lineup against the right-handed McKenzie, who blanked the Yankees over seven innings during a July 3 regular season start at Progressive Field:

  1. Gleyber Torres, 2b

  2. Aaron Judge, rf

  3. Anthony Rizzo, 1b

  4. Giancarlo Stanton, dh

  5. Josh Donaldson, 3b

  6. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, ss

  7. Harrison Bader, cf

  8. Kyle Higashioka, c

  9. Oswaldo Cabrera, lf

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Aaron Judge homers after Yankees shake up lineup in Game 3