Yankees' Aaron Judge has opposing managers struggling to find a strategy for stopping him
Yankees designated hitter Aaron Judge is intentionally walked during the eighth inning against the Angels in Game 1 of an MLB doubleheader at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Aaron Judge failed to reach base just once in five plate appearances during the Yankees’ 5-2 victory over the Angels in Game 1 of Wednesday’s doubleheader.
And what did that lonely out look like? After Juan Soto walked to open the sixth inning, Angels reliever Hans Crouse threw Judge a first-pitch sinker, perhaps thinking it might be an easy take strike. But those don’t exist in Judge’s purview these days — not with hittable pitches rapidly dwindling — and so he hammered this one for a sky-high, 104.6-mph moonshot that was caught at the leftfield warning track.
In 18 other ballparks, Judge’s deep drive would’ve cleared the wall — Crouse was just lucky to be in the Bronx. And remember, this was the only time Judge made an out (until Game 2, when the Angels had the benefit of a comfortable lead, and Judge went 1-for-3 in the Yankees’ 8-2 loss).
What’s an opposing manager to do? Last weekend, in the process of dropping the series, the Blue Jays’ John Schneider intentionally walked Judge four times in two days, including three in Sunday’s finale. Some were situational. Others? Schneider said he didn’t feel like watching him swing.
So naturally, those free passes begged the question: was Schneider being a trendsetter? Or was it too early for Judge to be getting the full Barry Bonds treatment?
Angels manager Ron Washington helped us answer the question Wednesday. He did have his guys pitch to Judge, aside from the eighth inning. In that spot, with the bases empty and two outs, Washington flashed four fingers to put on Judge so his lefty reliever Matt Moore could face Austin Wells, who lined out to second to end the threat. It was Judge’s MLB-leading 12th intentional walk.
“The situation of the game is going to dictate that,” Washington said afterward. “If we’re playing in a close game, and he’s coming up in situations where he can drive in runs, and we can afford to put him on the bag, we’re going to put him on the bag.
“I didn’t want him facing [Moore] with all those lefties coming up behind him, so I wasn’t going to pitch to him — it’s that simple. The score already is 5-2. I didn’t need to see it 6-2. That’s how you got to do it.”
Sometimes, it can be a little more nuanced. Take the fourth inning, for example, when Judge came up with a runner at third and two outs. That seemed like a no-brainer with first base open, but Washington instead let reliever Jose Marte try to tiptoe through the minefield that is every Judge at-bat this season.
Not a wise decision. Marte threw the first two pitches in the other batter’s box, but then lost a 96-mph four-seamer that didn’t quite make it to the desired location. Judge blistered it for a 108-mph single to put the Yankees up at 5-0.
“We tried to pitch around him,” Washington said. “That ball he hit for the single? That was supposed to be a ball up and away to see if he chases it. He wasn’t going to give him nothing to hit. And Marte brought a ball back over the plate and that big boy didn’t miss it.”
Such a strategy might work against mere mortals. But a pitcher’s command has to be airtight with Judge, who leaves almost zero margin for error, and Washington should have known better. He did let his starter Davis Daniel attack Judge in the first inning — also with Verdugo at third — and that wound up as a full-count walk. Austin Wells immediately followed with an RBI single and Judge later scored on Anthony Volpe’s two-out double.
That’s the Yankees’ best counter-measure for what’s now becoming known as the Aaron Judge Treatment. And with Wells heating up — he’s batting .313 (25-for-80) with five homers and 16 RBIs in his last 24 games since July 4 — the Yankees’ newest cleanup hitter now can make punting on Judge more painful.
“If I was them, I’d be walking Judge, too,” Wells said. “For me, I’m not taking it personal, but I look forward to the challenge. Getting a hit with Judge on base? I’ll take that every time. Obviously we want to see him hit and do damage and put balls over the fence. But as an opposing team, it makes sense to put him on first and attack the rest of the guys.”
Before Game 1, manager Aaron Boone said he’s thought of lineup configurations to defuse the Judge gambit — including even flip-flopping Judge and Juan Soto to better protect the Yankees’ captain. But he doesn’t see the need to go there just yet. Plus, with the Soto-Judge combo already one of the most dangerous in baseball history, why mess with a near-perfect team-up?
“I would never say never,” Boone said. “I’m not ready to do it right now, but it’s something that I’d at least consider.”
In the meantime, expect more managers to follow the leads of Schneider and Washington. Regardless of what’s going on around Judge.
“He’s been swinging the bat well, but I’ll let Wells beat me — period,” Washington said. “I’m not going to let Judge beat me — period. Wells could be leading the league in batting average, but if it’s between him and Judge, I’m going at Wells.”
Either way, it was a lose-lose strategy for the Angels in Game 1.
David Lennon is an award-winning columnist, a voter for baseball's Hall of Fame and has covered six no-hitters, including two perfect games.
