NEW YORK — Aaron Judge has it all, pretty much. He’s one of the biggest sports stars in the world. He’s an American League MVP. After setting the AL record for most home runs in a season last year with 62, he emerged from the winter with a $360 million, nine-year contract and the title of captain, following in the footsteps of Derek Jeter and other Yankees legends. But there are two things missing from his resume. The first? A World Series ring. The second?
“Hopefully, the season we win a championship,” he said, “we can throw a Gold Glove in there, too.”
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Judge has long been one of the better right fielders in the game, but he made a pair of spectacular defensive plays in center field during Wednesday’s 3-2, 10-inning win over the Angels that even overshadowed his first-inning, two-run home run.
“It’s one of the reasons he’s great,” manager Aaron Boone said. “He takes pride in every little thing in this game. Not that the defensive side is the little thing. And before I knew him, I know that’s how he was in the minor leagues, how much he (cared about) the details of defense and how fundamentally sound he is on defense.”
The best play happened first. In the first inning with one out, Judge tracked Shohei Ohtani’s high fly ball back to the wall. When he leaped, he extended his entire 6-foot-8 frame, knocked the ball back into play, and then snagged it with his bare hand. The look of relief that crossed Judge’s face when he realized he’d made the play was stark.
“If I was a good outfielder,” he joked, “I would have caught it on the first try.”
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Then with the score tied at 2-2 with two outs and a runner on first base in the eighth inning, Brandon Drury smoked a line drive to right-center field. Judge ranged a long way before diving forward to make the catch and end the threat.
“I was just right in the right spot,” he said.
Of course, it was more than that. Judge said it’s important to him to be an “all-around athlete and you’ve got to be an all-around player. He finished as a finalist for a Gold Glove in 2017 and 2018 but wasn’t even nominated last year despite holding down center field (78 games) and right field (73 games).
Here are three other Yankees takeaways:
Volpe’s ‘best game’
Yankees rookie Anthony Volpe went 2-for-4 with a walk, a run and a stolen base. With the effort, Volpe increased his batting average from .180 to .204. He also made a pair of impressive defensive plays, one reminiscent of Jeter. Boone had high praise for the 21-year-old.
“Probably his best game all-around so far,” the manager said, “but I think you got the look of how good of a young player he is.”
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Volpe is just the third Yankees player of all time to record at least eight stolen bases through his first 18 career games, joining Cozy Dolan (11 stolen bases in 1911) and Fritz Mail (eight stolen bases in 1913). He’s 8-for-8 in steal tries this season. And he’s reached base safely in each of his last seven games, hitting .304 over the span. Volpe’s only blemish on the night came when he failed on a leadoff bunt attempt with extra-innings runner Isiah Kiner-Falefa on second base. Volpe popped up the bunt to the pitcher.
Volpe’s Jeter-like moment happened in the ninth inning. Logan O’Hoppe led off the frame with a grounder to the hole on the left side. Volpe backhanded it, jumped and threw him out at first base — the kind of play that Jeter made famous.
Good Rodón news
Boone said tests on left-handed starting pitcher Carlos Rodón’s strained back came back with “pretty normal” results. Rodón has been dealing with the back issue for about a week, and it’s somewhat hampered his recovery from a left forearm strain that forced him to end his spring training early and begin the regular season on the injured list. The Yankees gave the oft-injured pitcher a six-year, $162 million deal in the offseason to be the No. 2 to ace Gerrit Cole.
Rizzo marks a painful milestone
In the 10th inning, Anthony Rizzo was hit by an 84 mph curveball from Matt Moore. It extended the Yankees’ rally, which eventually led to Gleyber Torres’ walk-off sacrifice fly to center field.
For Rizzo, it was his 205th career hit by pitch. That pushed him past Chase Utley for No. 8 on the all-time list. Rizzo also went 1-for-3 with a walk, and he’s reached base in 16 of his first 17 games this season.
“He’s just been really impactful,” Boone said before the game. “He’s been getting on base a ton. He’s obviously gotten some homers and he’s got some big hits and he’s just a presence in there.”
(Photo of Aaron Judge: Frank Franklin II / Associated Press)
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