'What if' looms large for Judge after G5 loss
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Every season-ending loss comes with dozens of “what if” scenarios. What if a team would have capitalized with runners in scoring position? What if a pitcher would have made a different pitch selection? But Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge’s “what if” scenario is a little more unique: What if there wasn’t an overhang on the right-field wall?
| Game | Date | Result | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gm 1 | Oct. 5 | NYY 9, TB 3 | Watch |
| Gm 2 | Oct. 6 | TB 7, NYY 5 | Watch |
| Gm 3 | Oct. 7 | TB 8, NYY 4 | Watch |
| Gm 4 | Oct. 8 | NYY 5, TB 1 | Watch |
| Gm 5 | Oct. 9 | TB 2, NYY 1 | Watch |
Shop for postseason gear: The Yankees dropped Game 5 of the American League Division Series, 2-1, to the Rays on Friday night at Petco Park. Both of Tampa Bay’s runs were scored on solo homers, with the first blast coming in the fifth inning from Austin Meadows off starter Gerrit Cole. Although Judge looked like he had a chance to make a play on the 373-foot homer that just squeaked over the wall, the fence got in his way.
Judge was halted mid-leap when his head banged against the padded overhang at the top of the fence. The 6-foot-7 outfielder was unable to attempt a catch, falling to the ground after his unexpected collision, as Cole was left to watch his scoreless (and hitless) outing wash away.
“That changes the ballgame right there,” Judge said. “I get up there and rob that homer -- that’s a different outcome of the game. So that’s a tough one right there.”
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It’s difficult to project whether Judge would have been able to make the catch if he hadn’t crashed into the wall. However, if you ask the right fielder, he’s confident that the ball would’ve ended up in his glove.
“I was right there,” Judge said. “I think I got a shot at that. I think I got a shot at any ball that gets hit to right field. Yeah, that’s a tough one, especially with Cole going out there, competing his butt off. I got to get up there and rob that one.”
Judge said he knew the overhang was there after playing the four previous games of the series at Petco Park this week, despite not being able to work around it in Game 5.
“The chain link, you know, I ran into it the previous game -- and the chain link is not forgiving,” Judge said. “A little different, but I know it's there. I just got to make that play, and that's all it really comes down to.”
After his slow start to the postseason, Judge was responsible for the Yankees’ lone run on Friday night with a solo shot in the fourth inning. He has homered in three different winner-take-all games, which is tied with Bill Skowron for the most in such games in postseason history.
However, in seven playoff games this year, Judge went just 4-for-30 (.133) -- though three of those hits were home runs -- with 10 strikeouts and a .662 OPS. Judge will surely look at the replay of his awkward attempt to rob Meadows’ homer and wonder, ‘What if?’ But the outfielder will also reflect on what more he could have done at the plate.
“There were multiple times I came up with guys on base and just didn't get the job done,” Judge said. “And that's what it comes down to. They made a pitch and I wasn’t able to foul it off or put it in play or do something. So it's tough looking back on some of those.”