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Aaron Judge’s ‘no panic’ revelation after snapping Yankees slump with 2-HR game
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- Aaron Judge’s ‘no panic’ revelation after snapping Yankees slump with 2-HR game
The post Aaron Judge's 'no panic' revelation after snapping Yankees slump with 2-HR game appeared first on ClutchPoints .
Aaron Judge didn't just wake up the Yankees' bats on Sunday —he reminded everyone exactly why he's the face of the franchise and a perennial MVP threat.
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In a 12-5 rout of the Athletics at Yankee Stadium, Judge launched two home runs, giving him 30 on the season before the All-Star break. It's the fourth time in his career he's hit 30 or more homers before July's mid-summer classic, tying Mark McGwire for the most such seasons in MLB history . The barrage helped power the Yankees to a much-needed series win and offered a glimpse of their offensive ceiling when everything clicks.
"We don't really push the panic button in here," Judge told reporters postgame. "Maybe people on the outside do—that's their job—but we just gotta show up ready to work and ready to do our thing."
Judge's dominance didn't end with just milestone numbers. His multi-homer effort on Sunday was the 44th of his career, officially passing Lou Gehrig for second in Yankees franchise history. He now trails only Mickey Mantle (46) and Babe Ruth (68). Judge's five consecutive 30-homer seasons is also the third-longest streak in franchise history behind Mantle (eight) and Alex Rodriguez (seven).
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Aaron Judge and the Yankees take down the A's on Sunday
Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
His performance capped off a statement win for a Yankees team that looked lifeless just one day earlier in a quiet three-hit loss. But on Sunday, the Bombers found their rhythm. Jazz Chisholm Jr. got things going with a solo homer in the second and a three-run triple in the third, opening up a 4-0 lead. Cody Bellinger added a three-run shot of his own in the fifth, and Judge piled on with homers in the fourth and seventh innings to blow the game open.
Manager Aaron Boone was optimistic before the game, saying the offense was "close to getting rolling." That proved prophetic, as the Yankees racked up 12 runs on 10 hits and capitalized on several A's miscues.
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Judge, who entered the game slashing .354/.456/.705 with an MLB-best 222 OPS+, continues to build a strong case for his third MVP award. He joined Ken Griffey Jr. and David Ortiz as the only players in league history with multiple seasons of 50+ extra-base hits before July.
Marcus Stroman made his first start since April 11, tossing five innings of one-run ball. He showed little rust, benefiting from the explosive run support to ease back into form after battling knee inflammation.
The Yankees (now 53-32) head to Toronto for a four-game set before a Subway Series showdown with the Mets . With Judge locked in and reinforcements returning, they appear poised to make a serious push through the dog days of summer.
Related: Yankees' Marcus Stroman had 'no doubt' he would be back from knee injury
Related: Yankees' Aaron Judge joins Mark McGwire in history books with room to spare
