CHICAGO – For decades, the Yankees’ all-time home run leaderboard has read like a roll call of legends: Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio and Yogi Berra.
Now, that exclusive company has a modern addition. Aaron Judge launched his 358th career home run in the Yankees’ 3-2 loss on Sunday afternoon at Rate Field, matching Berra for fifth place in franchise history.
“The way Yogi played the game, what he meant to the pinstripes – you know how much it meant, being a New York Yankee, to him,” Judge said. “I feel the same way. I’m honored to wear this jersey. So it’s pretty cool to be on that list.”
Former Yankee Mike Tauchman robbed Giancarlo Stanton of what would have been a two-run homer with a leaping third-inning grab, and Tim Hill surrendered an eighth-inning Lenyn Sosa home run that represented the deciding run, snapping New York’s seven-game winning streak.
Those victories came against a pair of last-place clubs, the Nationals and White Sox, and convincingly so. Over their past eight games, the Yankees have outscored opponents 60-22, with their starting pitchers posting a 1.57 ERA (eight earned runs in 46 innings).
Can they repeat that against more formidable competition? They’ll have a chance to prove it beginning on Tuesday night in Houston, opening a 12-game gauntlet against contending clubs – the Blue Jays (79-58), Tigers (80-58) and Red Sox (76-62) are all to follow a three-game showdown with the Astros (75-62).
“It’s coming down to the wire,” Judge said. “We want to play the best teams, especially getting down the stretch here into the postseason. That’s what it’s all about, to see what we’re made of.”
Several Yankees boarded their charter in cowboy boots and Stetsons for a themed flight to Texas, hoping the trip sets the tone for a statement series. Getting Judge back in MVP form would help.
It was a quiet August for the captain, limited to designated hitter duties and finding his stroke after missing time with a right flexor strain. But he finished strong with homers in back-to-back games.
Judge’s first-inning blast off White Sox left-hander Martín Pérez was his 43rd of the season. He narrowly missed another homer in the third inning, clipping the top of the outfield wall for a double, then added a fifth-inning single as he finished a triple shy of the cycle.
“He’s definitely getting there. He’ll get there,” manager Aaron Boone said. “He’s going to find his way through and at some point here get really hot.”
Luis Gil navigated 5 1/3 innings of two-run ball, striking out seven and walking two while scattering four hits. Curtis Mead and Will Robertson stroked back-to-back doubles in the second, and Colson Montgomery slugged a game-tying homer in the sixth.
As he did in his previous start against the Nationals, Gil sacrificed velocity for command early, his readings lower on both his fastball and slider. That was a conscious decision, and Gil turned up the dials later in his outing, retiring 10 straight with five strikeouts through one stretch.
“Something we’ve been working on is being in the strike zone and attacking the strike one,” Gil said through interpreter Marlon Abreu. “I think that’s something that has been helping me.”
Before season’s end, Judge is poised to climb higher on the franchise list. DiMaggio is next at 361, with Ruth (659), Mantle (536) and Gehrig (493) in the top spots.
“It’s the company he belongs in,” Boone said. “When he came through the dugout, I yelled, ‘Yogi!’ out to him. He’s certainly earned his way into those rarified air names with the career he’s put together so far. He’s as good as we’ve seen in this generation.”
Drafted by the Yankees in the first round (32nd overall) in 2013, Judge said he did not have the opportunity to spend much time with Berra. But Judge heard plenty about Berra from others.
“He was a special individual,” Judge said. “A lot of the veteran guys talked highly on [how] probably some of their favorite memories was coming to Spring Training and having a chance to talk with him during camp, just to hear some of his stories. They said he just always had a smile on his face.”
Derek Jeter often recalled Berra greeting him after the Yankees’ 2009 World Series win – Jeter’s fifth. Berra, who owned 10 rings, held up both hands to show Jeter he was only halfway there.
“Ten World Series. That’s pretty impressive,” Judge said. “That’s what we’re all chasing.”