Latest news with #Judge
New York Post
an hour ago
- Sport
- New York Post
The Aaron Judge-Shohei Othani race to be baseball's best player has a clear leader
LOS ANGELES — This is undeniably a special time in baseball, with two of its greatest players ever — Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani — providing daily thrills. Access the Yankees beat like never before Don't miss Greg Joyce's text messages from The Bronx and beyond — he's giving Sports+ subscribers the inside buzz on the Yankees. Sign Up Now It's extra special when they are doing it in the same game, and even better when they are demonstrating their specialness nearly simultaneously. Judge and Ohtani signaled from the start Friday — moments after the iconic opener, 'It's time for Dodger baseball!' — on one of those perfect L.A. nights that this mano-a-mano matchup just might be something to behold. Judge took a cookie from Tony Gonsolin 446 feet out to their own version of the center-field black to give the Yankees (and Judge) the early lead.
NBC Sports
5 hours ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Judge, Ohtani light up first inning with historic home runs in Yankees-Dodgers rematch
LOS ANGELES — Reigning MVPs Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani blasted historic home runs in the first inning as the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers met Friday night in a rematch of last year's World Series. Judge got the fireworks going with a 446-foot solo shot to dead center on a 1-1 pitch from Tony Gonsolin. The Yankees slugger's 19th homer of the season tied him with Kyle Schwarber for third in the majors. Ohtani matched him in the bottom of the frame with a 417-foot homer to center on the first pitch from Max Fried in front of a sellout crowd of 53,276. 'I felt like he was copying me,' a smiling Judge said. It's the first time reigning MVPs homered in the first inning of a game in major league history. Barry Bonds of San Francisco and Miguel Tejada of Oakland were the first reigning MVPs to homer in the same game, including the World Series, on June 30, 2002. 'I really thought it was important to be able to score another run in that situation, knowing that momentum is really important,' Ohtani said through a translator. Judge downplayed the tit-for-tat with Ohtani. 'Try not to think about it,' he said. 'I got a job to do on the field. I got to make plays, score some runs for the team. You try not to get too hyped into that.' Ohtani led off the sixth with a solo shot to right-center, scurrying back to step on first base after missing it. That sparked a four-run rally that carried the Dodgers to an 8-5 victory, their 19th come-from-behind win of the season. The long balls extended Ohtani's major league-lead to 22. He tied the Dodgers record for most in a month with 15. 'We always seem to obviously play really well when Shohei's obviously playing well,' first baseman Freddie Freeman said. 'I heard the chants for MVP, and he's really well on his way to doing that again.' Ohtani has 60 runs this season, making him the first player since 1901 to reach the mark before June, according to OptaSTATS. The Japanese superstar has hit five homers in his last five games, with four coming on the first or second pitch. Judge is most impressed by Ohtani's consistency at the plate. 'Year after year continue to go up there and put up the numbers he does,' he said. 'Every single at-bat, you don't know if he's going to rip a ball to me in right field or if he's going to take a Max Fried first pitch heater opposite field.' The Dodgers beat the Yankees in five games to win their eighth world championship in 2024.
Boston Globe
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Aaron Judge, overlooked? Some early judgments on the 2025 baseball season after two months.
He leads the majors in bWAR, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and has a 1.339 OPS with runners in scoring position. Judge also is the clubhouse leader of a team that shrugged off the Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Best pitcher: It's a healthy debate between Max Fried of the Yankees and Tigers ace Tarik Skubal . The choice is Fried based on the consistency. He hadn't allowed more than two earned runs in a start until Friday against the Dodgers, and the Yankees are 10-2 when he pitches. Advertisement Skubal has struck out 92 against only seven walks, but was knocked around a bit by the Dodgers Top team: The Dodgers don't have the best record, but their season feels like a series of dress rehearsals until they put the exact team they want on the field in September. Advertisement To that point, they just traded for deposed Reds closer Alexis Díaz . The 28-year-old has lost velocity and seen his strikeout rate plummet, but Díaz has options and the Dodgers can stash him at their complex in Arizona and work on fixing those issues. If it works, maybe he's getting big outs in the eighth inning in the playoffs. If it doesn't, they're out $6.2 million counting luxury tax overages. For the Dodgers, it's all about the end game. Rough start: Roki Sasaki had a 4.72 ERA in eight starts before landing on the injured list with what the Dodgers said was a shoulder impingement. The 23-year-old righthander from Japan was Sasaki averaged 96 miles per hour with his four-seam fastball, well off the triple digits that were expected. Sasaki also gave the Dodgers only 34⅓ innings in those eight starts. Maturity, physical and otherwise, is an issue. Life beyond Boston: That Nate Eovaldi has a 3.33 ERA in 66 starts for Texas isn't a good look for the Red Sox considering The Padres also seem to have unlocked something in There's some batted-ball luck involved and Petco Park is better for him than Fenway, but Pivetta also has benefited from increasing the use of his curveball and cutting back on the sweeper. Trade value: Sandy Alcantara's 8.47 ERA through 11 starts isn't helping the Marlins trade him, but that could be attributed to his missing last season after Tommy John surgery. Teams will still be after him. Advertisement The same may not be true for White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr. , who has a .632 OPS going back to last season. Kansas City's pitching: Lefty Kris Bubic , a first-round pick in 2018, has emerged as an ace with a 1.45 ERA through 11 starts. Another lefty, Noah Cameron , allowed three earned runs over 25⅔ innings in his first four starts. The issue for Kansas City is scoring. They're a team that could be active in the trade market to balance the roster. Washington monument: James Wood was one of the four players His .964 OPS was fifth in the National League going into the weekend. Another product of that trade, center fielder Robert Hassell III , made his debut May 22. The Soto shuffle: Soto seems to be following the A .755 OPS is well above the league average, but Soto arrived in Queens with a career .953 OPS. His bat speed is down a bit but Soto is only 26, so it's not some physical decline. It's easy to suggest Soto will be fine and that probably will be the case, but he's now the focal point of a prominent team, not just one of the guys. He had buffers with the Nationals, Padres, and Yankees. Not any more. Advertisement Brennan Bernardino (above) and Greg Weissert each appeared in 25 of Boston's first 58 games, one more than Aroldis Chapman and Justin Slaten. Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff Everyday Bernie Bernardino always on call for Sox Brennan Bernardino made 112 appearances for the Red Sox from 2023-24 and pitched in 25 of the first 58 games this season. The 33-year-old lefthander recently appeared seven times in a span of 10 games and allowed one run on two hits over 6 innings while throwing 59 of 93 pitches for strikes. How does a pitcher do that? 'For me, it's not wasting pitches,' Bernardino said. 'I try to save my bullets, even when I'm just playing catch because those throws add up over time.' Bernardino also has condensed his warm-up routine to six or seven pitches at times. 'I prefer to throw more than that, but I can be ready after maybe six,' he said. 'A few heaters and a breaking ball and I'm ready to go.' Bernardino averages a modest 91 miles per hour with his two-seam fastball, and his 7.7 strikeouts per nine innings are the lowest of his career. But opposing hitters are 8 for 58 (.138) against his curveball, changeup, and cutter. 'Mix pitches, keep the hitter off-balance, and play the game of baseball,' Bernardino said. 'I don't try to complicate it too much.' Bernardino has learned a few tips from watching 'One of the hardest workers I have ever seen,' he said. 'To be 37 and throwing as hard as he does and as well as he does, it's amazing. He's strong and flexible. He's very routine-oriented.' A few other observations on the Red Sox: ⋅ Current Red Sox ownership has yet to fire a manager during the season. Bobby Valentine all but burned the place down in 2012 and the Sox waited until the day after the season Advertisement They Ceddanne Rafaela's defense is outstanding, but his approach at the plate is anything but. Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff ⋅ Maybe the Sox should start waiting more than a few games before giving prospects long-term contracts. Ceddanne Rafaela is an excellent defensive outfielder, but he has a .650 OPS since he agreed to His idea of a good pitch to swing at is one that doesn't bounce. Craig Breslow called Rafaela a 'cornerstone' at the time. He might be a bench player once Roman Anthony takes over an outfield spot. Related : Kristian Campbell hadn't even played his first series in the majors before the Sox gave him Campbell had a terrific April, then was Brayan Bello didn't get Until proved otherwise, he's no better than a No. 4 starter on a contending team. ⋅ Garrett Crochet has allowed two home runs on the first pitch he has thrown in a game this season. One was Advertisement Crochet starts every game with a fastball and has been ambushed twice. The Sox lost both of those games by one run. 'First pitch of the game, I'm going to throw a fastball. Everybody knows that. I'm never not going to do that,' Crochet said. 'The guy next game could clip me on another first-pitch heater, and I'd be OK with that.' Everybody knows that and you'll keep doing it? And you're OK if you give up more leadoff home runs? Ronald Acuña Jr. , Oneil Cruz , Shohei Ohtani , and Fernando Tatis Jr. are among the leadoff hitters Crochet could face this season. The matchup with Acuña could come on Sunday. Just a thought: Grooving hitters like that a fastball might not be the best plan. ⋅ The Red Sox were a .500 team with Alex Bregman playing at an All-Star level. It could get ugly without him for what is expected to be It won't help this season, but perhaps there is a long-term upside. Bregman can opt out of his contract for next season and become a free agent, or he could stay with the Red Sox for $40 million. If Bregman only plays 100 or so games, staying might be a better play than going back into free agency coming off a major injury and entering his age-32 season. ⋅ Per Baseball Reference, Marcelo Mayer was the It's amazing that every big leaguer in history wouldn't come close to filling Fenway Park. ⋅ The Sox went into the weekend 381-386 in the regular season since they traded Mookie Betts and have played 11 postseason games. The Dodgers are 493-272 and have played 53. Sometimes, you do get what you deserve. ETC. Maine man for baseball memories Jon Perry coaches the baseball team at Hampden (Maine) Academy. He also played at the University of Maine under John Winkin and was a member of the 1981 team that played in the College World Series. (Everybody remembers the famous pitchers' duel between St. John's Frank Viola and Yale's Ron Darling in the NCAA Northeast Regional at Yale Field in '81, but Maine advanced to Omaha.) Carlton Willey pitched three seasons for the Mets, making 28 starts in 1963 before two more years largely as a reliever to finish an eight-year MLB career. Photo courtesy Maine Baseball Exhibit In his spare time, Perry collects baseball memorabilia related to Maine and operates a small museum at the old Hampden Academy building. Perry has uniforms dating to 1910 and other items related to major league players from Maine, along with memorable college and high school teams and players. One of his prized acquisitions is a 1965 Mets uniform worn by the late Carlton Willey , a righthander from Cherryfield, Maine, who played in the majors from 1958-65. The museum also has bats made in Maine by Willard 'Grasshopper' Mains , who played in the majors from 1888-1896. Go to Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, Calif., hasn't been a hit with players or fans in the first year of an expected three-year residency by the Athletics. Scott Marshall/Associated Press Extra bases At 37, Craig Kimbrel has appeared in 16 minor league games with the Braves and allowed two earned runs over 16 innings while striking out 20. Kimbrel is on a minor league contract with a clause that forces the Braves to call him up or release him if another team offers him a major league contract … Portland native and Cubs bench coach Ryan Flaherty is a candidate to manage the Orioles once they decide to make a permanent hire. Flaherty played for the Orioles from 2012-17 … Tampa Bay is 18-19 at Steinbrenner Field and averaging 9,893 fans at the 10,046-seat park. All things considered, they've made the best of a bad situation after being Luis Severino has Chandler Simpson to Triple A on Friday. The incredibly fast rookie outfielder hit .285 and had 19 steals in 35 games after being called up. Tampa Bay had Jake Mangum coming off the injured list and value his being a switch hitter … As the Red Sox endlessly ponder when to bring up Roman Anthony , heed the cautionary tale of Jordan Lawlar . The shortstop made his debut with the Diamondbacks in 2023 and appeared in 14 games late in the season, going 4 for 31. He was on the roster for the postseason, but had only two plate appearances. Lawlar played only 23 minor league games last season because of injuries. He didn't return to the majors until May 13 this season and was 0 for 19 before being optioned. Lawlar, who turns 23 in July, was taken two picks after Marcelo Mayer in 2021 … Chris Sale became Zack Wheeler at Citizens Bank Park. Sale hit 2,500 in 2,026 innings. The old record of 2,107⅔ innings was held by Randy Johnson . Sale has done a lot to improve his Hall of Fame résumé since landing with the Braves … How bad are the Rockies? They have yet to win a series, which is amazingly bad. They did manage to win two games in a row, beating Atlanta at home on April 30 then winning at San Francisco on May 1, but that was preceded and followed by eight-game losing streaks. The Rockies come to Fenway Park for three games July 7-9 … The Red Sox acquired righthanded relievers Ryan Zeferjahn is one of the set-up men for closer Kenley Jansen . He has appeared in 35 games over the last two seasons with a 3.16 ERA and a healthy 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings. Outfielder Matthew Lugo made his major league debut on May 9 and had an .814 OPS in his first 15 games. Lugo was a second-round pick in 2019 who was initially a shortstop before a move to the outfield … Congratulations to the Endicott College Gulls, who advanced to the NCAA Division 3 championship round in Eastlake, Ohio, this weekend. Through the regionals, they were 43-4 under coach Bryan Haley … Happy birthday to Derek Lowe , who is 52. The righthander played for seven teams during his 17-year major league career, but is best remembered for his eight years with the Red Sox from 1997-2004. Lowe and Jason Varitek were obtained from Seattle at the '97 trade deadline for Heathcliff Slocumb in one of the all-time steals. Lowe was initially a reliever who recorded 85 saves from 1998-2001. The sinkerballer was then 52-27 with a 4.07 ERA in 98 starts through 2004. Lowe Peter Abraham can be reached at
USA Today
8 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani out-slug Yankees, Aaron Judge in potential World Series rematch
Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani out-slug Yankees, Aaron Judge in potential World Series rematch Show Caption Hide Caption Knicks championship or Yankees WS? We asked fans in the Bronx New York sports fans decide whether they would rather see the Knicks win a championship or the Yankees win a World Series. Sports Seriously LOS ANGELES − The calendar says it's May, but Friday night felt a whole lot like October at Dodger Stadium. It was a heavyweight prize fight. Power vs. power. Aaron Judge vs. Shohei Ohtani. The New York Yankees vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers. These two juggernauts went toe-to-toe for nine innings, and in the end, it was Ohtani and the Dodgers thrusting their arms into the air with a wild 8-5 victory in front of 53,276 screaming fans. If this was a preview to this year's World Series, an encore after their 2024 World Series, let's flip the calendar to October now. The game, with suites selling as high as $15,000, the clubhouses jammed with more than 100 reporters and Hollywood stars in attendance, was a May classic. It began with a massive 446-foot Judge home run into the center-field pavilion in the top of the first inning. Ohtani answered with a 417-foot home run in the bottom of the first. 'I thought he was copying me,'' Judge said. 'He's impressive. He's one of the best players in the game for a reason.'' It was the first time in baseball history, including the postseason, that two reigning MVP winners homered in the same inning of a game. MLB payrolls 2025: Full list of every baseball team from highest to lowest 'If you're a baseball fan it doesn't get much better than that, right?'' Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy said. 'It was a great baseball atmosphere. It was good to be part of it.'' There were five home runs hit in the first three innings, including four by the Yankees, but by the end of the night, it was Ohtani and the Dodgers beating Yankees ace Max Fried (season-high six earned runs) and their bullpen. Fried, who entered the game with a 7-0 record and 1.29 ERA, was handed a 5-2 lead only for the Dodgers to score four runs in the sixth inning and two more in the seventh. It was reminiscent of the deciding Game 5 of the World Series last year when the Yankees coughed up a 5-0 lead in the fifth inning. 'Both teams started on a really good note,'' Ohtani said, 'and I really thought it was important to score in that situation knowing that momentum is really important in the game today.'' Ohtani stole the show hitting his 21st and 22nd home runs of the season, giving him 15 homers in May, tying a franchise record last accomplished in 1985. He also set a team record by hitting 22 homers in the Dodgers' first 57 games and is now on pace to hit 63 home runs and score 173 runs. 'Shohei would probably say it's just like any other game,'' Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, 'but when you see the other reigning MVP on the other side and going out there and performing, that brings out even more of a competitor in Shohei.'' Judge was the best supporting actor in this drama by hitting his American League-leading 19th homer, 15th double, and is now hitting a major-league leading .392 with a 1.236 OPS. 'It's fun, this is Yankee baseball,'' Judge said, 'and especially going against the Dodgers. They're having a great start to the season. It was just a fun atmosphere out there.'' It was just like the glory days when these two teams met 11 times in the World Series over a 40-year span, and again last season. And, for a night in May with more than 100 regular-season games still to be played, it certainly lived up to its hype. 'You certainly marvel at some of the players on the field tonight,'' Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. 'I mean, there's a number of MVPs, All-Stars, and just great, great players. Judge had a great game with the homer and the double and an outstanding play in the game. So, some of the stars really showed up tonight.'' Said Judge: 'This is why I signed here, to play in big games, play in big moments, play for the best team.'' Well, the best team on this night was the same team that was spraying champagne on each other in October. The Dodgers didn't taunt the Yankees as they did over the winter, but the Dodgers public address announcer reminded everyone an hour before the game that the Dodgers are the defending World Series champions, and showed videotape highlights of Freddie Freeman's walk-off grand slam in Game 1. 'We love superstars, and to start the game off with Judge hitting a homer and Shohei answering in the bottom half,'' Roberts said, 'was pretty exciting for everyone. But it was a huge game for us to win. I think the intensity of the game, you can see the way that Aaron managed with urgency. I managed with urgency. It was a game that we both wanted.'' And, at the end of the night, it was the Dodgers coming out on top once again. Thanks to you-know-who. 'Every time he comes to the plate,'' Dodgers starter Tony Gonsolin said of Ohtani, 'we're expecting something awesome to happen And he doesn't let us down a lot of times. So it's really cool to have someone like that on our team.'' The second round of the three-round fight is Saturday [7:15 p.m. ET, FOX], and while it may be the Yankees against the Dodgers, the baseball world will be focused on the latest bout between Judge and Ohtani, the two greatest players in the game. 'I try not to think about it,'' Judge said. 'I got a job to do on the field. I try not to get too hyped into that. That's for you guys to do.'' Stay tuned. The sequel awaits. Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale
USA Today
9 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani out-slug Yankees, Aaron Judge in a potential preview to October
Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani out-slug Yankees, Aaron Judge in a potential preview to October Show Caption Hide Caption Knicks championship or Yankees WS? We asked fans in the Bronx New York sports fans decide whether they would rather see the Knicks win a championship or the Yankees win a World Series. Sports Seriously LOS ANGELES − The calendar says it's May, but Friday night felt a whole lot like October at Dodger Stadium. It was a heavyweight prize fight. Power vs. power. Aaron Judge vs. Shohei Ohtani. The New York Yankees vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers. These two juggernauts went toe-to-toe for nine innings, and in the end, it was Ohtani and the Dodgers thrusting their arms into the air with a wild 8-5 victory in front of 53,276 screaming fans. If this was a preview to this year's World Series, an encore after their 2024 World Series, let's flip the calendar to October now. The game, with suites selling as high as $15,000, the clubhouses jammed with more than 100 reporters and Hollywood stars in attendance, was a May classic. It began with a massive 446-foot Judge home run into the center-field pavilion in the top of the first inning. Ohtani answered with a 417-foot home run in the bottom of the first. 'I thought he was copying me,'' Judge said. 'He's impressive. He's one of the best players in the game for a reason.'' It was the first time in baseball history, including the postseason, that two reigning MVP winners homered in the same inning of a game. MLB payrolls 2025: Full list of every baseball team from highest to lowest 'If you're a baseball fan it doesn't get much better than that, right?'' Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy said. 'It was a great baseball atmosphere. It was good to be part of it.'' There were five home runs hit in the first three innings, including four by the Yankees, but by the end of the night, it was Ohtani and the Dodgers beating Yankees ace Max Fried (season-high six earned runs) and their bullpen. Fried, who entered the game with a 7-0 record and 1.29 ERA, was handed a 5-2 lead only for the Dodgers to score four runs in the sixth inning and two more in the seventh. It was reminiscent of the deciding Game 5 of the World Series last year when the Yankees coughed up a 5-0 lead in the fifth inning. 'Both teams started on a really good note,'' Ohtani said, 'and I really thought it was important to score in that situation knowing that momentum is really important in the game today.'' Ohtani stole the show hitting his 21st and 22nd home runs of the season, giving him 15 homers in May, tying a franchise record last accomplished in 1985. He also set a team record by hitting 22 homers in the Dodgers' first 57 games and is now on pace to hit 63 home runs and score 173 runs. 'Shohei would probably say it's just like any other game,'' Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, 'but when you see the other reigning MVP on the other side and going out there and performing, that brings out even more of a competitor in Shohei.'' Judge was the best supporting actor in this drama by hitting his American League-leading 19th homer, 15th double, and is now hitting a major-league leading .392 with a 1.236 OPS. 'It's fun, this is Yankee baseball,'' Judge said, 'and especially going against the Dodgers. They're having a great start to the season. It was just a fun atmosphere out there.'' It was just like the glory days when these two teams met 11 times in the World Series over a 40-year span, and again last season. And, for a night in May with more than 100 regular-season games still to be played, it certainly lived up to its hype. 'You certainly marvel at some of the players on the field tonight,'' Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. 'I mean, there's a number of MVPs, All-Stars, and just great, great players. Judge had a great game with the homer and the double and an outstanding play in the game. So, some of the stars really showed up tonight.'' Said Judge: 'This is why I signed here, to play in big games, play in big moments, play for the best team.'' Well, the best team on this night was the same team that was spraying champagne on each other in October. The Dodgers didn't taunt the Yankees as they did over the winter, but the Dodgers public address announcer reminded everyone an hour before the game that the Dodgers are the defending World Series champions, and showed videotape highlights of Freddie Freeman's walk-off grand slam in Game 1. 'We love superstars, and to start the game off with Judge hitting a homer and Shohei answering in the bottom half,'' Roberts said, 'was pretty exciting for everyone. But it was a huge game for us to win. I think the intensity of the game, you can see the way that Aaron managed with urgency. I managed with urgency. It was a game that we both wanted.'' And, at the end of the night, it was the Dodgers coming out on top once again. Thanks to you-know-who. 'Every time he comes to the plate,'' Dodgers starter Tony Gonsolin said of Ohtani, 'we're expecting something awesome to happen And he doesn't let us down a lot of times. So it's really cool to have someone like that on our team.'' The second round of the three-round fight is Saturday [7:15 p.m. ET, FOX], and while it may be the Yankees against the Dodgers, the baseball world will be focused on the latest bout between Judge and Ohtani, the two greatest players in the game. 'I try not to think about it,'' Judge said. 'I got a job to do on the field. I try not to get too hyped into that. That's for you guys to do.'' Stay tuned. The sequel awaits. Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale
