Aaron Judge is an American League MVP who has been playing Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees for nine seasons. Despite his experience in the league, he recently had a first-time career moment on the field. During a game against the Detroit Tigers on Saturday, Judge was ejected for the first time after arguing a called third strike by home plate umpire Ryan Blakney.
In the seventh inning of the game, Judge took a fastball from pitcher Tyler Holton on a 3-2 count that he believed was outside the strike zone. After showing his disagreement with the call, Judge walked back to the dugout only to be ejected by Blakney. While it’s unclear whether Blakney thought that the pitch was inside or outside of home plate, it seems like there may have been some confusion about where exactly it landed.
Despite being ejected, Judge had a productive game, ending with a 2-for-4 performance and an RBI. The Yankees went on to win the game 5-3. Interestingly, this marks the first time since Don Mattingly in 1994 that a Yankees captain has been thrown out of a game.
Afterward, Judge expressed surprise at being ejected and mentioned that he has said worse things before without being ejected. He also acknowledged that umpires have a tough job and maintained respect for Blakney despite their differing opinions about where exactly to draw lines around home plate. Additionally, graphics coordinator Seth Rothman pointed out that Blakney consistently called pitches just outside of home plate as strikes throughout the game.
Overall, while Aaron Judge may have had some disagreements with Ryan Blakney over calls during Saturday’s game against Detroit Tigers, it’s important to remember that both players are professionals who should always strive to maintain respect and sportsmanship on and off the field.