Mom of Yankees' Aaron Judge goes viral over intentional walk reaction
New York Yankees All-Star slugger Aaron Judge was sitting on 60 home runs for the campaign, one shy of tying the American League single-season record of 61 homers set by Roger Maris in 1961, when he approached the plate in the top of the 10th inning of Monday's game at the Toronto Blue Jays that was tied 2-2 at the time.
The Yankees had runners on first and second as the Blue Jays called upon left-handed relief pitcher Tim Mayza, and the hosts ultimately elected to intentionally walk Judge to load the bases rather than face the uncrowned AL Most Valuable Player:
As Justin Tasch noted for the New York Post, Patty Judge, Aaron Judge’s mother, was in attendance at Rogers Centre on Monday and let it be known with a shake of the head and smirk picked up by television cameras that she wasn't thrilled with Toronto's decision. The move worked, though, as the Blue Jays kept the Yankees off the scoreboard and then won the game in the bottom half of the frame via a walk-off single delivered by Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Patty Judge sat with her husband and son's wife throughout home games last week as the four-time All-Star selection pursued Maris' mark.
"Just to see his mom shake her head, kind of bemused and frustrated, just think what you back at home, how frustrated you’re feeling that you don’t get a chance to see Judge, and then think that’s her son, and she’s watching every single at-bat waiting for him to do something so special," Yankees play-by-play broadcaster Michael Kay said of the walk that earned boos from members of the crowd. "So probably times it by a million by what you’re feeling at home."
Judge hasn't gone deep since last Tuesday's win over the Pittsburgh Pirates and is now homer-less across the last six games. The Yankees play at the Blue Jays again on Tuesday and Wednesday and are then off on Thursday before they begin a three-game home series against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night.
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