Maybe this will get Yankees fans off Aaron Judge’s back.
The 2022 AL MVP blasted home run No. 261 of his career on Wednesday against the A’s, passing Yankees legend Derek Jeter on the franchise’s all-time home run list.
Judge drove the ball to the opposite field on a 1-2 count in the bottom of the first inning, tearing through A’s pitcher Joe Boyle’s 98-mile-per-hour four-seamer.
The Yankees entered Wednesday night 16-8, a half-game ahead of the Orioles for first in the AL East, but fans have still given Judge grief for his unimpressive start.
Through New York’s first 24 games, Judge had a .180 batting average, three home runs and 11 RBI.
Last Saturday, he was booed during his bobblehead giveaway day. . . . ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan ripped fans, calling their actions “completely absurd and entirely expected.”
What wasn’t expected was Judge hitting below the Mendoza Line and being one of the weak links in the Yankees lineup. His first-inning home run against the A’s might be what he needs to get going. At the very least, Judge finally gave fans something worth celebrating.