New York Yankees star Aaron Judge had a front-row seat for the team’s dismal playoff exit.
Judge was unable to recover from a nagging injury for the playoffs, being left off the roster for the wild-card round and Wednesday’s season-ending loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. The Yankees slugger remained with his teammates for the game, earning some attention for his reaction to the sweep by the team’s AL East rivals.
Aaron Judge’s Sad Reaction Goes Viral
As the game came to an end with a 4-3 loss, Judge and teammate George Lombard Jr. remained on the top step of the dugout to watch the Rays celebrate their 3-0 sweep. The image quickly attracted some viral attention, with Barstool Sports comparing it to Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs watching the Kansas City Chiefs celebrate their win in the 2020 AFC Championship game.
“Aaron Judge has his Stefon Diggs moment,” the outlet noted in a post on X.
The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner shared an extended video of the pair watching the celebration, with Judge remaining motionless as the rival players celebrated their trip to the ALCS.
“Aaron Judge and George Lombard Jr. watch the Rays celebrate from the top step of the dugout,” Kirschner wrote on X.
Aaron Judge Faces Uncertain Future
In the wake of the team’s sweep at the hands of the Rays, CBS Sports reporter Mike Axisa predicted that the Yankees could face some tough decisions on Judge. Though he will remain a fixture in the lineup, Axis predicted that he could see a defensive slide as he turns 35 in April.
Axisa predicted the Yankees may need to take a more careful approach with Judge, limiting his time in the field and giving him more regular breaks.
“There is also a self-preservation component to this that I’d argue is more important than defensive value,” Axisa wrote. “No. 99 missed 99 games this year due to a fractured rib that he suffered diving for a ball in April. Two years ago, Judge ran through the Dodger Stadium wall and missed two months with a toe injury. He had a shoulder injury in 2017 that was made worse by a collision with the wall.”
Yankees Star Aaron Judge Turns Heads With Reaction to Dismal Playoff Exit