Aaron Judge is in his ninth major league season with the New York Yankees. But the 2022 American League MVP may still experience some firsts on the field.
Judge earned a new career accomplishment Saturday afternoon when he was ejected from a game for the first time. The ejection came in the seventh inning after Judge argued a third strike called by plate umpire Ryan Blakney.
With a full count of three balls and two strikes, Judge took a fastball from Detroit Tigers pitcher Tyler Holton, which he thought was outside the strike zone. The Yankees slugger turned to show his disagreement with the decision and then walked away from him. As Judge returned to the dugout, Blakney ejected him.
The strike zone chart on YES Network and MLB Game Day showed that the field of play was on the very edge of home plate, but outside the zone. On such a tight pitch, you could argue that Judge should have swung. Obviously, Blakney thought so.
Judge left the game after going 2-for-4 with an RBI. The Yankees ultimately won the game 5-3.
Not only was Judge ejected for the first time in his career, he also became the first Yankee captain to be ejected from a game. since Don Mattingly in 1994, according to YES Network graphics coordinator Seth Rothman. Derek Jeter, for example, was never ejected in his 12 seasons as captain.
Judge was surprised by the ejection, as were his teammates and Yankees manager Aaron Boone.
“I walked away saying my piece. I’ve said a lot worse things,” Judge said after the game, via SNY’s Phillip Martinez. “I try not to make a scene in situations like that. So I’m a little surprised that that happened. I have a lot of respect for Ryan, his job is hard.”
(To be fair to Blakney, Rothman appeared in who consistently called strikes on pitches just outside the zone throughout Saturday’s game).
