On the 61st anniversary of Roger Maris breaking Babe Ruth’s home run record, Aaron Judge barely got a chance to become the Yankees’ single-season home run champ.
That’s because the Orioles, who were eliminated from playoff contention when the Mariners won on Friday night, barely threw him any pitches to hit in the Yankees’ 8-0 rout on Saturday in The Bronx.
Judge walked twice, was hit by a pitch and struck out twice in his second game since tying Maris’ milestone of 61 home runs, set in 1961.
After Judge was walked on five pitches by Spenser Watkins in a four-run seventh inning, the crowd at Yankee Stadium chanted “a–hole” toward Watkins.
That at-bat stood out to Yankees manager Aaron Boone, as well.
“Overall, the last few weeks, guys have gone after him in spots,’’ Boone said of pitchers’ approach to Judge. “Leading off the inning there, that was one I thought they might go after him more. It seemed like he ran from it a little bit. I totally respect it’s a tough situation to be in.”
Judge got another chance in the eighth. After Watkins fell behind, 3-0, the right-hander struck out Judge, swinging, on a 3-2 fastball.
Watkins and Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde said they weren’t intentionally pitching around Judge.
“I don’t think it ever crossed my mind that I don’t want to be the guy [to give up No. 62],’’ Watkins said.
Regardless, it leaves Judge with just one game left at the Stadium to break Maris’ record before the Yankees end the regular season with a four-game series at Texas. And with rain in the forecast for Sunday, there’s no guarantee even that will happen.
“There’s an added something to do it at Yankee Stadium in pinstripes,’’ Boone said. “That said, if he does it, period, 62 homers is gonna be 62 homers.”
“I think he’s gonna do it and hopefully he does it soon,’’ Nestor Cortes, the winning pitcher Saturday, said.
Though the Yankees have little to play for, having clinched the No. 2 seed in the American League, they got another outstanding start from Cortes, who has continued to pitch like an ace this season.
Cortes was terrific, holding Baltimore hitless until Jorge Mateo’s two-out single to left in the top of the fifth.
Up to that point, the left-hander had faced the minimum number of batters. He allowed a leadoff walk to Mateo in the third before Mateo was erased when Robinson Chirinos hit into an inning-ending double play.
Cortes left to a loud standing ovation after striking out Cedric Mullins for the first out in the eighth. Cortes matched his career-high with 12 strikeouts and gave up just the one hit to Mateo in the 93-pitch masterpiece.
The Yankees’ offense got off to a fast start against right-hander Austin Voth.
After Judge was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the first, Anthony Rizzo grounded into a forceout. Gleyber Torres then doubled to the gap in left-center to drive in Rizzo from first.
Torres went to third on the play and scored on a sacrifice fly by Josh Donaldson to make it 2-0 before the slumping Giancarlo Stanton hammered a 447-foot home run to left, his 29th of the season.
Kyle Higashioka homered with one out in the second to give the Yankees a 4-0 lead.
The Yankees scored four runs in the seventh to seal the win, helped by some horrid Baltimore defense.
With five games left, Judge may not get to see too many more good pitches to hit.
Judge has walked multiple times in four of his last five games — and 11 times total during that span.
Boone called Judge’s patience “remarkable.”
But the playoffs are right around the corner, and Boone said he doesn’t expect teams to go after Judge much differently than they are now.
“I’m sure there are gonna be situation when the other team is probably not gonna want him to beat them,’’ Boone said. “I don’t think, all of a sudden, the postseason comes and they start challenging Aaron Judge left and right. I think they’re gonna be careful of him regardless.”
The question remains: Will teams be too cautious with him now for Judge to get the record?
