Yankees slugger Aaron Judge gets first day off this season
The Yankees' Aaron Judge runs to first after hitting a home run in the seventh inning during a game against the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday in Kansas City, Mo. Credit: AP/Ed Zurga
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Aaron Boone did Thursday night what opposing pitchers have mostly failed to do this season: stop Aaron Judge.
With the Yankees in the early stages of a stretch of 16 straight games, Boone decided a week ago Thursday would be the right day to give Judge his first day off this season after the rightfielder started the first 66 games, the only Yankee to do so.
“Obviously, I never want him out of the lineup, but I feel like it’s one of those that hopefully pays some dividends in the long run of keeping him fresh,” said Boone, who a week ago discussed with Judge the idea he would sit Thursday. “Today seemed like the day that made sense.”
Still, after watching Judge homer a third straight game in Wednesday night’s victory over the Royals, Boone found himself revisiting the decision late into the night.
“I had second thoughts on it last night,” Boone said. “But I think we’re both on the same page with this one. Felt like today was the day.”
Judge, much like his predecessor as captain, Derek Jeter, never wants to be out of the lineup. When Judge, who played the first 67 games of last season before sitting for the first time, talked with Boone a week ago he joked about Boone “reconsidering” the call if he homered in the first two games of the this series. Which it did as Judge made it three straight games with a homer on Wednesday, giving him 25 this season.
“He kind of looked at me (after Wednesday’s homer), like, ‘hey,’ ” Boone said with a smile. “So I was reconsidering, but I think we both wanted to stay disciplined on this one. It’s the right time for it.”
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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