Video shows wild fight over Aaron Judge 60th home run baseball

As Bryan Hoch noted for the MLB website, 20-year-old City College of New York student Michael Kessler ultimately obtained the souvenir. We'll never know what Kessler would've gotten for the ball on the memorabilia market, as he eventually returned it to Judge in exchange for a meet-and-greet with the four-time All-Star selection, four autographed baseballs, and a signed game bat. 

"Judge means so much to the organization, especially this year," Kessler said of a decision that probably cost him at least thousands upon thousands of dollars. "He’s just unbelievable. Just the way he is, he deserved to have the ball back. I have no second thoughts." 

Kessler also spoke with Brian Lewis of the New York Post about the mad dash for the baseball. 

"It bounced off someone’s hand. I reached and grabbed it and just bear-hugged it," he explained. "I just smothered it. It got off to the side. It was a mad pile." 

Judge famously rejected a seven-year, $213.5 million extension from the Yankees before the start of the season, and the 30-year-old who bet on himself this past spring remains set to hit free agency and cash in following the campaign. 

Kessler claimed he delivered a specific message to Judge during their conversation. 

"Try anything to come back next year," Kessler said. "You’re the heart and soul of this ballclub." 

Judge will attempt to at least tie the all-time American League single-season home run record of 61 set by Yankees icon Roger Maris in 1961 when the Bronx Bombers host the Pirates on Wednesday night.