New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge completed a feat Saturday that hadn’t been done in 30 years. Judge became the first Yankee captain to be ejected from a MLB game in three decades, per YES Network. The last time it happened was with Don Mattingly in 1994.
Judge disagreed with a call while at-bat in the seventh inning of a game against the Detroit Tigers. When Judge was called out on strikes, he ended up having words with the home plate umpire. The official didn’t particularly care for what was said, and he tossed Judge while the slugger was walking back to the dugout. Judge didn’t even see the call, as his back was to the umpire. The good news for Judge and the Yankees is that the team got a 5-3 victory over Detroit.
Judge and Yankees manager Aaron Boone tried to contest the call, but the umpire angrily pushed back at them. Following the game, Judge spoke with reporters about the situation. He refused to repeat to reporters what the umpire said to him.
“Kind of walked away saying my piece, I have said a lot worse,” Judge said. “Little surprised walking away that that happened.”
Judge said that he and the umpire didn’t have any bad blood between them before the incident. The Yankees slugger wasn’t the only player perplexed by the entire situation. Yankees infielder Anthony Rizzo also spoke out about the ejection following the game, and wondered why Judge was ejected.
“He’s (Judge) one of the nicest guys in the league, everyone knows it, the respect he shows,” Rizzo said. “Thankfully it comes on a win, we will go in and joke around about it now.”
It was Judge’s first ejection not only in MLB, but in his entire career going back to his first days playing as a youngster.
Judge’s season
It’s been an up and down season so far for Judge. The Yankees star is hitting .209 for the season, and has struggled on offense for a good part of the year. Judge was even booed by Yankees fans earlier this season, following a pitiful performance in April. He has six home runs and 19 runs batted in.
Judge was actually hitting well in the game Saturday before he was tossed. He had two hits in the contest, including a double. Yankees fans are hoping the ejection can possibly wake up the outfielder from his batting slump.
The last time a Yankee captain was ejected from a game was on May 13, 1994, per YES Network. Don Mattingly was the captain of that team. Yankees legend and long-time captain Derek Jeter never got tossed while in pinstripes.
Following the win, the Yankees are now 22-13 on the season. The Bronx Bombers are back in action Sunday, playing the Tigers again at Yankee Stadium. Detroit is now 18-15 on the year.
