Every baseball fan knows the story of 2022 Aaron Judge by now. Heck, even college football fans know about it due to all the cutting in for his at-bats late in the season on his way to 62 home runs. But the first two games of the ALDS against the Guardians were not kind to Judge, as the hulking outfielder struggled mightily, so much so, in fact, that he was being booed in Yankee Stadium. The likely MVP being booed at home over a two-game sample!
Fast forward to the deciding Game 5 Tuesday and Judge was again being showered with cheers. Judge clubbed a home run on Tuesday in New York's 5-1 win that ended Cleveland's season and sent the Yankees to the ALCS.
Judge woke up this series before Game 5, though. He homered in Game 3 and had much better swings in Cleveland. He did strike out in the first inning in this one, but he made up for it by hitting another homer. This shot to right-center traveled 394 feet.
Given that this was Game 5 in a five-game series, it's a "do-or-die" or "win-or-go-home" or however one would like to frame it. In such games, Judge now has four career homers. That's the most in MLB history, breaking a tie from a group that teammate Giancarlo Stanton joined in the first inning. The only other players with three homers in do-or-die playoff games: the aforementioned Stanton, Didi Gregorius, Yogi Berra, Troy O'Leary and Moose Skowron.
Maybe he'll have the chance to tack on in a Game 7 in the ALCS or World Series. Even if not, Judge has another entry in the record books.
