Yankees slugger Aaron Judge tries to lobby his way into lineup but fails
Aaron Judge #99 of the Yankees takes batting practice before a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, Apr. 14, 2022 in the Bronx borough of New York City. Credit: Jim McIsaac
BALTIMORE — And on the eighth day, Aaron Judge was given a rest.
Judge, who played in the Yankees' first seven games, tried to lobby his way into Friday night’s lineup, but Aaron Boone stuck to his guns. Judge began the game on the bench.
“I made my mind up,” Boone said before the Yankees faced the Orioles. “I planned on this a couple days ago and kind of gave him the heads up I was thinking I was going to have him down this day, and really felt convicted on it last night, especially as we got so late into the evening. Felt this was the right day to do that.”
Judge came into Friday having reached base in each of the Yankees’ first seven games and each of his last 11 games dating to Sept. 30, 2021. He is hitting .286 with one homer, three doubles and an .855 OPS.
“Kind of targeted this one, really since Opening Day,” Boone said. “And then add on the fact we had the delay [the 90-minute rain delay before Thursday night’s victory over Toronto] that we did last night . . . He was still working on me probably [up until] an hour ago wanting to get in there, but I just feel like today was a good day to have him off as we try to be smart, especially through these first 10 [games].”
After the three-game series against Baltimore, the Yankees have their first off-day Monday, which precedes a three-game series in Detroit.
Yawn
There were more a few bleary-eyed members of the Yankees’ traveling party, which checked into its hotel in Baltimore at about 4 a.m. Friday. Thursday night’s victory over the Blue Jays at the Stadium ended at 11:41 p.m.
Erik Boland started in Newsday's sports department in 2002. He covered high school and college sports, then shifted to the Jets beat. He has covered the Yankees since 2009.
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