The New York Yankees were eliminated by the Toronto Blue Jays in the playoffs, and Aaron Judge is excited to face them again.
New York will host the Blue Jays in an intriguing four-game series beginning on Monday. Although Toronto has gotten off to a slow start, Judge is still excited for the series, given that Toronto eliminated the Yankees in the last playoffs.
“Any time a team knocks you out of the postseason, you can’t wait to see them again,” Judge said. “I haven’t watched many of their games yet; I know a couple of their guys are banged up a little bit. I’m looking forward (to) tonight, doing a little research on them, see what they’ve got and get ready for a four-game series against them.
“They’re a great ballclub; they’ve got a great up-and-down-the-lineup of guys that can swing the bat, put the ball in play and hit it out of the park, and a good pitching staff. So it’s just going to be a good matchup, but I think the boys are ready.”
The Blue Jays are off to a frustrating 21-25 start, while the Yankees are 28-19 but are 3-7 in their last 10, so it’s a chance for both teams to get back on track.
But Judge believes the Yankees have a chip on their shoulder to get a chance to beat the Blue Jays and get some revenge for the playoffs.
Toronto also dominated New York in the regular season and playoffs, winning 11 of 17 matchups, including three of four in the playoffs.
Yankees Have ‘Terrible’ Road Trip
New York has struggled as of late, as the Yankees return home after a 2-4 road trip.
The Yankees lost two of three to the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Mets, and manager Aaron Boone isn’t pleased with the road trip.
“We just had a terrible road trip,” Boone said after Sunday’s 7-6 loss in 10 innings.
Judge, meanwhile, knows he and the Yankees have to be better to win baseball games, and he expects them to be better starting Monday at home.
“There were a couple of close games, but it’s about finishing the job,” Judge said. “There were a couple of games here where we’ve got to close it out. The boys are playing hard, though. The guys are playing tough and making the plays they need to, but we’re just coming up a little bit short.”
The Yankees are 28-19 and now three games back of the Tampa Bay Rays for first place in the AL East.
Probable Pitchers for Toronto-New York Series
The Yankees vs. Blue Jays series will feature some great pitching matchups, including a battle of two of the best young pitchers in all of baseball.
The probable pitchers for the series are as follows:
Blue Jays vs. Yankees probables:
Monday: Patrick Corbin vs. Ryan Weathers
Tuesday: Dylan Cease vs. Will Warren
Wednesday: Trey Yesavage vs. Cam Schlittler
Thursday: TBA (could involve Spencer Miles) vs. Carlos Rodón
Yesavage vs. Schlittler will be an excellent matchup that many fans will be looking forward to. The Blue Jays, meanwhile, won’t get a chance to use Kevin Gausman in this pivotal AL East showdown.
Aaron Judge Makes Feelings Clear on Yankees Facing Blue Jays After Playoff Exit