"This guy's incredible" - Aaron Judge on pace for 60 home runs, Marcus Stroman and other teammates speak on Yankees captain's stellar season
Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees enjoyed a stellar 8-1 win against the Cleveland Guardians at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday. The game saw the Yankees' offense bounce back after losing their last three games.
Juan Soto started the scoring with a 427-foot moonshot, giving the Yankees a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Yankees captain Aaron Judge contributed to the lead by hitting a 378-foot home run, bringing in two runs. In the fourth inning, Soto hit a double with the bases loaded.
Judge extended the Yankees' lead to 8-0 in the seventh inning with a 356-foot homer, marking his 47th of the 2024 season. With this achievement, the six-time All-Star is on pace to reach 60 homers for the second time in his career.
Aaron Judge’s performance not only impressed the fans but also had his teammates pumped. Yankees pitcher Marcus Stroman, along with Nestor Cortes, admired Judge’s skills while at the plate:
“Oh, man. This guy’s incredible,” Stroman said
“Yeah, dude. I watched this in 2022 all year,” Cortes replied.
Nestor Cortes mentioned the 2022 season because that was the year Judge hit an American League record 62 home runs. He ended the season with 131 RBIs, 133 runs, 111 walks and batted .311.
When Juan Soto was asked what he admired about Aaron Judge the most, he said:
“I would say his power. He’s just incredible. And the consistency that he has. I think that’s one of the things that I admire the most.”
Aaron Judge expresses strong desire to contribute to Yankees’ success
Aaron Judge recorded two hits in three at-bats, bringing in two runs and achieving three RBIs without getting struck out during Wednesday’s game. Judge spoke about leading the Yankees to the World Series (via MLB.com):
“Until I take the jersey off my back, I want to try to get better every single year and do whatever I can to help the Yankees win a World Series. That’s why I’m here. I try to never be satisfied. This game’s given me a lot, and I’ve got to try to give my all to the game.”
The Bronx Bombers (74-53) currently lead the AL East standings with a .583 winning percentage. They face the Cleveland Guardians again on Thursday in the finale of their three-game series.