Even as questions linger around the Yankees’ bullpen, Aaron Judge continues to silence doubt with his bat. On a night when some fans were worried about recent struggles from reliever Devin Williams, Judge delivered another reminder of his value, launching his 12th home run of the season—his second in May—to tie for the league lead.
Aaron Judge stays hot while Yankees fans keep one eye on the bullpen
The moment came in the fourth inning with the Yankees trailing 2–0. Judge stepped in and crushed a 2-2 fastball from Padres right-hander Michael King, sending it into the right-field seats to tie the game. It was a clear mistake pitch from King, who left the heater thigh-high and over the heart of the plate.
Just a day before, King had praised Aaron Judge’s approach at the plate, pointing out his exceptional plate coverage and emphasizing that the only way to get him out was by executing a perfect sequence. “You have to be flawless,” King said. He was anything but, and Judge made him pay.
As of this publication, the Yankees are in the sixth inning with the score even after Judge’s blast. The home run brought him to the top of the MLB leaderboard, tied at 12 with Kyle Schwarber and Cal Raleigh. Right behind them are Corbin Carroll, Shohei Ohtani, Eugenio Suarez, Spencer Torkelson, and James Wood with 10 apiece.
Aaron Judge’s power surge is arriving just in time for the Yankees, who have been battling inconsistency both at the plate and in relief. While Williams’ recent outings have drawn criticism online, Judge has made sure the offense continues to apply pressure.
There was even some humor in the midst of the captain’s big moment. As his home run ball sailed into the stands, a fan made a clean catch—only to drop it while celebrating. In a twist of stadium drama, the ball rolled right into the hands of the fan next to him, who didn’t hesitate to pocket the prized souvenir.
Aaron Judge’s leadership, consistency, and ability to shift momentum in a single swing continue to be a stabilizing force for the Yankees, even when other pieces of the roster raise concerns.
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