November 23, 2024

Yankees’ threat of sitting Aaron Judge finally ended long rain delay with Red Sox

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New York Yankees starting pitcher Nestor Cortes (65) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Boston Red Sox on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Yankee Stadium. © Andrew Mills/nj.com/TNS New York Yankees starting pitcher Nestor Cortes (65) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Boston Red Sox on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Yankee Stadium.

TORONTO — Aaron Judge didn’t homer, but his power was on display elsewhere Sunday night.

A fan holds up a sign looking to barter for an Aaron Judge baseball as the New York Yankees host the Boston Red Sox on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Yankee Stadium. © Andrew Mills/nj.com/TNS A fan holds up a sign looking to barter for an Aaron Judge baseball as the New York Yankees host the Boston Red Sox on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Yankee Stadium.

ESPN pressured MLB officials to wait out an already long and particularly nasty rain delay between the Yankees and Red Sox at Yankee Stadium because the network was desperate to air Judge getting at least one more at-bat in his chase of 61 home runs, a person with knowledge of the situation told NJ Advance Media. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak publicly.

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Brayan Bello (66) bounces the rosin bag off his hand as rain starts to fall during the bottom of the sixth inning on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Yankee Stadium. © Andrew Mills/nj.com/TNS Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Brayan Bello (66) bounces the rosin bag off his hand as rain starts to fall during the bottom of the sixth inning on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Yankee Stadium.

Throughout the delay, the Yankees and the Red Sox each lobbied the league to declare the game over as the forecast kept getting worse, the person said. But ESPN kept the pressure on.

Boston Red Sox right fielder Rob Refsnyder (30) drops a fly ball hit by New York Yankees shortstop Marwin Gonzalez (14) which scored a run with 2 outs in the bottom of the sixth inning on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Yankee Stadium. Refsnyder was charged with an error on the play. © Andrew Mills/nj.com/TNS Boston Red Sox right fielder Rob Refsnyder (30) drops a fly ball hit by New York Yankees shortstop Marwin Gonzalez (14) which scored a run with 2 outs in the bottom of the sixth inning on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Yankee Stadium. Refsnyder was charged with an error on the play.

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New York Yankees designated hitter Aaron Judge (99) takes a lead off third base after he led off against the Boston Red Sox with a double on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Yankee Stadium. He was stranded on third. © Andrew Mills/nj.com/TNS New York Yankees designated hitter Aaron Judge (99) takes a lead off third base after he led off against the Boston Red Sox with a double on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Yankee Stadium. He was stranded on third.

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New York Yankees starting pitcher Nestor Cortes (65) watches the flight of a deep fly ball hit by Boston Red Sox designated hitter J.D. Martinez (28) for the third out in the first inning on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Yankee Stadium. © Andrew Mills/nj.com/TNS New York Yankees starting pitcher Nestor Cortes (65) watches the flight of a deep fly ball hit by Boston Red Sox designated hitter J.D. Martinez (28) for the third out in the first inning on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Yankee Stadium.

But when the delay stretched past the customary 90 minutes given on getaway days, Yankees manager Aaron Boone became increasingly worried that if the teams were forced to continue to wait and then play on the soaked field, players could get hurt, another person told NJAM.

New York Yankees designated hitter Aaron Judge (99) and Giancarlo Stanton (27) in the dugout on Sunday, September 25, 2022 against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. Judge is looking for his 61st home run of the season. Stanton is not in the lineup tonight. © Andrew Mills/nj.com/TNS New York Yankees designated hitter Aaron Judge (99) and Giancarlo Stanton (27) in the dugout on Sunday, September 25, 2022 against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. Judge is looking for his 61st home run of the season. Stanton is not in the lineup tonight.

So, behind closed doors, Boone made it known that he was considering all options to keep his players safe — and that included the possibility of pulling Judge out of the game despite the fact he was the first batter to hit as the delay ended, the first person said.

New York Yankees designated hitter Aaron Judge (99) reacts after he flied out during his third at bat on Sunday, September 25, 2022 against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. Judge is looking for his 61st home run of the season. © Andrew Mills/nj.com/TNS New York Yankees designated hitter Aaron Judge (99) reacts after he flied out during his third at bat on Sunday, September 25, 2022 against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. Judge is looking for his 61st home run of the season.

And when that particular possibility — the threat of sitting Judge — reached league and ESPN executives, they moved quickly to end the delay at 1 hour, 38 minutes and the Yankees were declared 2-0 winners, the person said.

New York Yankees starting pitcher Nestor Cortes (65) watches the flight of a deep fly ball hit by Boston Red Sox designated hitter J.D. Martinez (28) for the third out in the first inning on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Yankee Stadium. © Andrew Mills/nj.com/TNS New York Yankees starting pitcher Nestor Cortes (65) watches the flight of a deep fly ball hit by Boston Red Sox designated hitter J.D. Martinez (28) for the third out in the first inning on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Yankee Stadium.

Major League Baseball, however, disputed this version of events.

New York Yankees designated hitter Aaron Judge (99) reacts after he flied out to center field in the bottom of the 5th against the Boston Red Sox on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Yankee Stadium. © Andrew Mills/nj.com/TNS New York Yankees designated hitter Aaron Judge (99) reacts after he flied out to center field in the bottom of the 5th against the Boston Red Sox on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Yankee Stadium.

“MLB followed all of its usual processes at this point of the season in monitoring the weather,” the league said, “the playability of the field and the window to complete the game.  There was no other influence outside of that context prior to MLB’s decision, and the suggestion otherwise is simply not true.”

New York Yankees center fielder Harrison Bader (22) takes a lead off first as Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Brayan Bello (66) delivers a pitch in the bottom of the sixth inning on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Yankee Stadium. © Andrew Mills/nj.com/TNS New York Yankees center fielder Harrison Bader (22) takes a lead off first as Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Brayan Bello (66) delivers a pitch in the bottom of the sixth inning on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Yankee Stadium.

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New York Yankees center fielder Harrison Bader (22) beats out an infield single in the bottom of the 6th as Boston Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas (36) gloves a late throw on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Yankee Stadium. © Andrew Mills/nj.com/TNS New York Yankees center fielder Harrison Bader (22) beats out an infield single in the bottom of the 6th as Boston Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas (36) gloves a late throw on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Yankee Stadium.

The teams had been told mid-delay that there was a chance they could try to restart the game around 12:30 a.m.

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Brayan Bello (66) bounces the rosin bag off his hand as rain starts to fall during the bottom of the sixth inning on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Yankee Stadium. © Andrew Mills/nj.com/TNS Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Brayan Bello (66) bounces the rosin bag off his hand as rain starts to fall during the bottom of the sixth inning on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Yankee Stadium.

Neither team wanted to see any players hurt. The Yankees wanted to end the game because they had to get on a plane to Toronto to start a series with the Blue Jays on Monday. The Red Sox — in last place and with nothing to play for — wanted to get back to Boston with the Orioles heading to town Monday.

New York Yankees center fielder Aaron Judge (99) walks back to the dugout after he was stranded on third base after leading off against the Boston Red Sox with a double on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Yankee Stadium. © Andrew Mills/nj.com/TNS New York Yankees center fielder Aaron Judge (99) walks back to the dugout after he was stranded on third base after leading off against the Boston Red Sox with a double on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Yankee Stadium.

At that point, Judge was 1-for-2 with a double and a walk.

New York Yankees designated hitter Aaron Judge (99) rounds first base after leading off against the Boston Red Sox with a double on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Yankee Stadium. © Andrew Mills/nj.com/TNS New York Yankees designated hitter Aaron Judge (99) rounds first base after leading off against the Boston Red Sox with a double on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Yankee Stadium.

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New York Yankees designated hitter Aaron Judge (99) leads off against the Boston Red Sox with a double on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Yankee Stadium. © Andrew Mills/nj.com/TNS New York Yankees designated hitter Aaron Judge (99) leads off against the Boston Red Sox with a double on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Yankee Stadium.

Brendan Kuty may be reached at bkuty@njadvancemedia.com.

Filmmaker Spike Lee (center) raises his arms in the front row behind the New York Yankees dugout as Aaron Judge steps up to the plate during the fifth inning against the Boston Red Sox on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Yankee Stadium. © Andrew Mills/nj.com/TNS Filmmaker Spike Lee (center) raises his arms in the front row behind the New York Yankees dugout as Aaron Judge steps up to the plate during the fifth inning against the Boston Red Sox on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Yankee Stadium.

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New York Yankees designated hitter Aaron Judge (99) in the on deck circle on Sunday, September 25, 2022 against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. Judge is looking for his 61st home run of the season. © Andrew Mills/nj.com/TNS New York Yankees designated hitter Aaron Judge (99) in the on deck circle on Sunday, September 25, 2022 against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. Judge is looking for his 61st home run of the season.

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