In Phoenix, after seven games and 30 plate appearances, the universe seems back in balance: Aaron Judge, the Yankees’ powerhouse, has finally launched his first home run of 2024.
Despite New York’s recent success, Judge had been struggling at the plate. Prior to Wednesday’s game against the Diamondbacks at Chase Field, his slash line was .125/.214/.167. His first at-bat against Merrill Kelly resulted in a strikeout, but in their second encounter, Kelly delivered a 1-0 fastball that Judge sent soaring into the right-center-field seats for a two-run homer, propelling the Yankees to a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning. Statcast recorded the ball leaving Judge’s bat at 108.9 mph and traveling an estimated 396 feet.
Despite Arizona’s efforts to tie the game in the following innings, Aaron Judge played a crucial role in sealing the victory with a decisive RBI double into the right-center-field gap during the 11th inning.
Before this game, Judge was at risk of going without a home run for the first seven games, which would have equaled his longest homerless streak at the start of a season. However, with this performance, the Yankees head back to the Bronx for their home opener against the Blue Jays with renewed confidence, especially with Juan Soto and Judge delivering in the second and third spots in the lineup.
Juan Soto has been on fire, contributing to the Yankees’ success in winning five out of their first six games. If Aaron Judge can also find his rhythm — as hinted by Yankees manager Aaron Boone earlier in the series — the New York offense will become a formidable force.
Boone expressed his excitement about having Soto and Judge batting consecutively, highlighting the potential strength they bring to the team’s lineup.
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