Yankees Star Channels Babe Ruth With Epic Response to Red Sox Rookie's Remarks

New York Yankees star Aaron Judge channeled Babe Ruth on Sunday.

It was only fitting in a rubber game versus the Boston Red Sox. 

No, Judge did not call his shot, as Ruth allegedly did in Game 3 of the 1932 World Series.

But Judge’s two-run home run in the first inning was in the same spirit as Ruth’s called shot, given the fact that Judge may have had a gripe to pick with his opponent on the mound, Red Sox rookie starting pitcher Hunter Dobbins.

Before Sunday’s game, Dobbins told reporters that he’d rather retire than play for the Yankees. Dobbins, the son of a die-hard Red Sox fan, was not surprisingly embraced by other Boston die-hards for his comments.

But did Yankees players and fans take umbrage with Dobbins’s remarks?

Following the game, an important 11-7 victory for Boston, Judge was asked if he was thinking of Dobbins’s anti-Yankees sentiment when he stepped to the plate for his first at-bat.

"Once somebody tells you, yeah,” Judge said, per SNY TV.

Judge found out about the Dobbins comments through ESPN’s Eduardo Pérez during a pre-game interview.

It makes Judge’s blast in the first inning off Dobbins all the more epic. Stepping into the batter’s box against the man who had badmouthed the Yankees franchise, the ultimate Yankee Judge didn’t waste any time sending a reply message.

Judge crushed the first pitch Dobbins threw him — a 97 MPH four-seamer — 436 feet over the wall in right-center, giving the Yankees a 2-0 lead.

Judge homered a second time in the ninth inning — another two-run shot to right-center, this time off Robert Stock. The American League MVP frontrunner was 3-for-4 on the night. He’s slashing .396 / .493 / .771 / .1.264 this season with 23 home runs and 55 RBI. Only Seattle Mariners’ Cal Raleigh has more homers (26) than Judge. Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani also has 23 homers, tied with Judge.

Judge’s power display wasn’t enough for the Yanks, as Boston’s bats came alive and took the game (and the series).

But Judge’s first-inning response to Dobbins won’t soon be forgotten in the Bronx.