Aaron Judge‘s Historic Home Run propels Yankees Past Blue Jays
TORONTO - Aaron Judge delivered a clutch performance Wednesday, launching a towering home run off a 99.7 mph fastball to lift the New York yankees over the Toronto Blue Jays. The blast, the fastest pitch Judge has ever homered on, showcased a remarkable display of power and plate discipline, drawing comparisons to legendary hitters.
The home run, hit against Blue Jays pitcher Chris Varland, was especially notable for its location: 1.2 feet inside from the center of the strike zone. According to MLB Statcast data dating back to 2008, it was the first home run by any major league player on a pitch of that velocity and location. This game-changing hit underscores Judge’s ability to perform in high-pressure situations and solidifies his reputation as a postseason threat, a critical factor as the Yankees navigate a competitive playoff push.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone marveled at the swing, stating, “it’s an amazing swing. That’s shades of Edgar Martínez right there, taking that high-and-tight one and keeping it fair down the line. Manny Ramirez used to do that really well,too. But just a great swing on a pretty nasty pitch, obviously.”
Judge, who previously homered against Varland in the pitcher’s major league debut in September 2022, downplayed the importance of the pitch’s location. “I don’t know. I get yelled at for swinging at them out of the zone, but now I’m getting praised for it,” he said. “I don’t care what the numbers say or where something was at, I’m just up there trying to put a good swing on a good pitch, and it looked good to me.” He added, “After he blew my doors off on the pitch before, I said just get ready, see a good pitch, and drive it.”
Beyond his offensive heroics,Judge also demonstrated his defensive prowess with a diving catch in right field with a runner on second base in the fifth inning,igniting “MVP” chants from the crowd. he later scored on a sacrifice fly by Ben Rice in the sixth after being intentionally walked with the bases empty, a clear indication of the respect - or fear – opposing teams have for his hitting ability.
blue Jays manager John Schneider acknowledged Judge’s impact. “He’s had a good postseason. He’s had a pretty good career,” Schneider said. ”There’s times where you just don’t want him to swing.”