SAN DIEGO – The New York Yankees have the best seats in the world to watch the greatest spectacle in baseball.
They may interact with the star before he sets foot on stage, occasionally chatting with him during the performance, gawking at what they’re seeing and pinching themselves afterwards trying to comprehend the greatness they’re witnessing.
Aaron Judge, who two years ago set the American League single-season home run record, is now having one of the best seasons in Yankees history.
He hit another home run in the first inning Saturday night, hit another double three innings later and then left everyone trying to describe what they’re seeing after the Yankees’ 4-1 win over the San Diego Padres.
Judge became the first player in baseball history to hit 11 doubles and 12 home runs in a 20-game span.
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Judge is hitting .455 with a .569 OPS and 1.182 slugging percentage over his last 13 games.
Judge has homered in four consecutive games.
Judge is tied for the major league lead with 17 home runs.
Judge leads the major leagues with a .637 slugging percentage and 1.050 OPS.
And the Yankees’ 37-17 record is the best in the American League and their third-best start since 1956.
“I mean, it’s been unbelievable,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “What Aaron is doing is what the greats do from time to time.
“I’ve witnessed some incredible baseball from Aaron Judge over the last six or seven years, so whenever he does something that’s first or unique or whatever adjective you want to put on it, that frankly doesn’t surprise me because knowing how good he is .
“When they block it, it’s just different.”
Judge’s exploits have been so ridiculous this month that Yankees left fielder Alex Verdugo, who bats behind Judge, is worried he’ll pull his calf muscle jumping up and high-fiving Judge after his home runs.
When asked how to describe Judge’s 20-game streak, Verdugo said, “That’s my season.”
Verdugo, Judge’s teammate for the first time this season, stepped back and laughed.
“Playing against him my entire career,” Verdugo said, “this is what I was used to seeing. Watching him do it every day, and obviously the slow start to how hot he’s been now, it’s crazy, it’s just crazy.
“He’s a different animal, and he’s someone you just need to touch, and the ball jumps a lot differently than other guys.”
Oh yeah, about that slow start.
Judge was hitting just .179 with three home runs, 11 RBIs and a .682 OPS in the first 21 games of the season. His 27 strikeouts were the second most in the American League.
And they booed him at Yankee Stadium.
Yankees starter Néstor Cortés was outraged by the crowd’s reaction, saying after the game: “I feel like he’s done a lot for this team, a lot for this organization. He’s going to get out (of this). It’s just a matter of time. “He will be Aaron Judge.”
Well, here we are a month later, and look, who’s laughing last?
“It’s part of it,” Judge said. “You know it’s a long season. There will be bumps and bruises, and good times and bad times.
“But I can’t get caught up in what people say or don’t say. I have a job to do, and especially in New York, you have to show up every day. You have a job to do and, especially in New York, you have to show up every day.
“And I wasn’t going to show up, so I understand there were a lot of questions, and now we can’t.”
Judge is making a mockery of the Yankees’ record book with the way he is performing, joining Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig in hitting at least 18 doubles and 17 home runs in the Yankees’ first 54 games.
“We have a lot of work to do, a lot of games to play, so we have to keep working,” Judge said. “I don’t look back. The most important thing is to stay focused and try to improve a little every day.”
That’s the judge.
May all others praise and adore him.
“We’re seeing greatness,” said Yankees starter Marcus Stroman, who pitched six shutout innings and allowed just three hits. “To be honest, sometimes you can take it for granted, but at some point I’ll sit down with my grandkids and tell them I have to play with Aaron Judge.”
Judge listens to the praise, shrugs his shoulders, and refuses to enjoy his accomplishments.
He’s tearing it up, the Yankees are moving forward, and he refuses to be satisfied until he gets his hands on the World Series trophy.
“The most important thing is that he’s the same guy no matter what,” Verdugo said, “so it’s amazing to see. He’s a special man.”
“He’s captain for a reason. He got paid ($360 million) for what he did for a reason. He’s just someone who does everything the right way. Guys love him, whether you’re on his team or he’s on the other team. equipment.
“He’s the superstar that I think a lot of kids and a lot of people should try to model after his game. If not his game, at least the personality and the person.”
For now, the Yankees will sit back, enjoy the show and ride on the great man’s shoulders, perhaps until October.
Keynote USA
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