In an attempt to neutralize the most feared hitter in baseball, the Los Angeles Angels intentionally walked Aaron Judge twice in the first two innings Wednesday night. What they ended up doing was gifting him a place in New York Yankees history.
With two free passes handed out before the third inning even began, Judge became the first Yankee since Gene Woodling in 1953 to draw multiple intentional walks so early in a game. The Angels’ caution came with consequences. Not only did the Yankees go on to win 1-0 and complete a three-game sweep at Angel Stadium, but Judge added another chapter to his already historic 2025 campaign.
A walk into Yankees’ record books
The baseball world has seen dominant stretches before. But what Aaron Judge is doing this season has elevated him into a different stratosphere. Entering Wednesday night’s game, the 33-year-old slugger led the league in virtually every major offensive category: a .395 batting average, 1.234 OPS, .488 on-base percentage, and 81 hits in 54 games.
Add 18 home runs and 47 RBIs to the mix, and it’s no wonder opposing teams are running out of ideas on how to pitch to him — or whether to pitch to him at all.
With a runner on second base in the first inning and lefty Yusei Kikuchi on the mound, Angels manager Ron Washington called for the first intentional walk. Judge tipped his cap in mock gratitude, drawing laughter from Washington and groans from the crowd. One inning later, it happened again. The boos grew louder. So did the storylines.
“It’s not often you see someone get walked twice before the third inning,” said Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay during the game. “That just shows how dangerous Judge has become. He’s changing how teams play the game.”
Angels’ Judge strategy backfires
Despite giving Judge two free bases in the early innings, the Yankees managed to scratch across the only run they would need. Anthony Volpe delivered a sacrifice fly to score Paul Goldschmidt, and the Yankees’ pitching staff — led by Clarke Schmidt, Ian Hamilton, Tim Hill, and Mark Leiter Jr. — took care of the rest.
Judge went 0-for-2 in his final two plate appearances, flying out to right in the fifth and striking out looking in the seventh. But by then, his presence had already altered the game’s course. Washington’s intentional walks may have avoided immediate damage, but the decision underscored just how much fear Judge now commands at the plate.
“It’s a chess match,” Boone said after the win. “But you walk Judge twice in the first two innings, you’re acknowledging you don’t want to play that game. That says everything.”
Fans across the board boos Angels’ decision
Judge’s at-bats are no longer routine events — they are moments. Every time he steps into the box, stadiums fall silent, broadcasters pause, and fans lean forward in anticipation. It’s not just about the numbers, though those are staggering. It’s about the weight of expectation he brings with every swing.
That was evident on Wednesday when fans above both dugouts voiced frustration with boos for not getting to see the superstar swing in high-leverage moments.
“Let the guy hit,” one fan shouted near the Yankees’ dugout, summing up the mood of many.
Even Washington, despite his tactical choice, couldn’t help but smile when Judge tipped his cap. Sometimes baseball is just that — a battle of minds, a performance of personalities.
MVP pace and historical Parallels
Judge’s early intentional walks might be rare, but his season so far has been anything but ordinary. He is not only leading Major League Baseball in batting average and OPS, but also positioning himself for a historic run at back-to-back MVP awards — and his third overall.
Should he maintain his performance, Judge could join an elite group of players to win multiple MVPs with unanimous voting. His blend of power, patience, and situational awareness has made him nearly unpitchable — especially with runners in scoring position, where he’s hitting .450 this year (18-for-40).
“This is not just a hot streak,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said earlier this week. “This is a guy who knows who he is, who knows how pitchers are approaching him, and is responding like the best player in the game.”
Judge’s legacy in real time
As the 2025 season progresses, it’s becoming clear that fans aren’t just watching another Yankees superstar — they’re watching history.
Whether it’s via towering home runs, patient walks, or record-breaking milestones, Aaron Judge is redefining what it means to be a franchise icon in the modern era.
And even when teams like the Angels try to avoid him, Judge still finds a way to leave his mark — sometimes just by walking.
The Yankees head up the coast for a weekend showdown at Dodger Stadium, where Judge will face one of the NL’s best rotations — and, surely, more high-stakes chess moves from opposing managers not quite sure how to handle him.
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