Aaron Judge Starts Postseason With a Bang, Crushes Homer on First Pitch He Sees

After spending over a month on the sidelines, between two separate stints on the injured list, Yankees’ right fielder Aaron Judge finished the regular season with zero home runs in his final 10 games played.

Digging in on Tuesday, in the first inning of Game 1 of the Wild Card Series against the Cleveland Indians, Judge wasted no time. He demolished a first-pitch heater from soon-to-be American League Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber for a no-doubt two-run home run to right-center field.

Bieber had surrendered a leadoff single to DJ LeMahieu in the previous at-bat. Four pitches into his postseason debut, Cleveland was already in a two-run hole to the Bronx Bombers.

The blast from No. 99—the ninth home run of Judge’s postseason career—soared 399 feet, leaving his bat at 108 mph. Bieber’s 93.7 mph fastball to start the at-bat was served on a platter right down the middle.

It was Judge’s first home run since Aug. 11. The Yankees scored another run in the third inning and added two more in the fourth. They lead the Indians, 5-2.

Before the postseason began, Yankees’ manager Aaron Boone was asked if he expects to see Judge’s powerful stroke return in the playoffs. He smiled.

“Of course I think we could see it,” he said. “It’s always boiling under the surface.”

READ: How Yankees Are Planning to ‘Challenge’ Cleveland Indians in Wild Card Series

After alluding to Judge’s home run stroke returning in full force in October, Boone referenced the right fielder’s final at-bat of the regular season. Judge drove a sharp liner to the warning track in left field against the Miami Marlins on Sunday evening. 

It went down as an “F7” in the books, but combine that hard-hit out with Judge’s pair of walks in the game, and it was only a matter of time before the results translated into extra base hits and long balls when it matters most.

“I think it’s just fine tuning that last bit of being really locked in mechanically up there where he’s getting his swings off,” Boone said. “It’s encouraging to see him getting his walks, controlling the strike zone and it really takes one swing, one at-bat to where he really clicks to that next level. Hopefully the playoffs is where we see it.” 

READ: Five Takeaways From Yankees’ Wild Card Series Roster

An early lead also provides some run support for Yankees’ ace Gerrit Cole, who is making his playoff debut in a Yankees uniform after a tremendous first season with the franchise.

Cole praised his teammate, calling Judge’s presence for the Yankees “superhero-like.”

“He’s an integral part of our lineup. He’s an integral part of our clubhouse. He’s really an integral part of our industry to say the least,” Cole said. “He can change the dynamic of a club just based on his smile, based on a high five. Often times even if he’s not playing well, he still keeps that same mentality which is huge for us. Anytime we can get rolling with Judgey on the field, it feels good.”

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