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Yankees slugger Aaron Judge flexes arm power against Rays

By
Greg Joyce
Published April 18, 2025, 1:27 a.m. ET

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TAMPA — Aaron Judge entered Thursday on fire at the plate, then offered a reminder he is not just an offensive force.

Shortly after giving the Yankees an early lead with an RBI single in the top of the first, Judge helped save a run in the bottom of the frame when he threw out a runner trying to go first to third in what became a 6-3 win over the Rays at Steinbrenner Field.

Judge, known for his big arm, fired a bullet to third base to nab Kameron Misner for the first out and save Will Warren from having runners on the corners with no outs.

“Wow, what a throw,” manager Aaron Boone said. “I’m sure they told Misner before the game [about Judge’s arm], but he got to live it. That’s about as good as you’ll see right there.”

Yankees infielder Oswald Peraza and outfielder Aaron Judge celebrate after the team defeated the Rays on Thursday, April 17, 2025, in Tampa, Fla.
Yankees infielder Oswald Peraza and outfielder Aaron Judge celebrate after the team defeated the Rays on Thursday in Tampa, Fla. AP

The Rays also got to live some of Judge’s red-hot start to the season.

They kept him in the ballpark but he went 1-for-4 with a walk, reaching base multiple times for the 10th straight game, tying a career high.

“I feel like he’s been hot for almost a decade now,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said before the game. “He’s challenging.”

During Judge’s prolific 2022 and 2024 MVP seasons, he was intentionally walked a combined 39 times — none of them by the Rays.

They had a few opportunities to do so Thursday but chose not to.

“The most difficult thing is that — look, he’s maybe the game’s best power hitter and you could make the argument he’s the best pure hitter,” said Cash, who described this Yankees lineup as more complete than last year’s edition. “He’s right up there at the tops of everything. The way his swing works, he’s got the ability to cover all pitches and get the barrel to it. And then with his strength, he’s able to mishit pitches and do a lot of damage with them.“We’ve seen him for many, many years now and it never gets easier. You’re always mindful of where he is in the lineup.”

If teams pitch around Judge, which they often did late in his MVP seasons, that will put more responsibility on the shoulders of Jazz Chisholm Jr., Cody Bellinger, Austin Wells or whoever else is batting behind him.

For now, though, Boone was just enjoying watching Judge go on yet another heater.

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (99) hits an RBI single against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field on April 17, 2025.
New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (99) hits an RBI single against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field on April 17, 2025. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“He’s the total package,” Boone said. “He’s becoming an all-time great player. That’s what we’re in the middle of witnessing.”

DJ LeMahieu (calf strain) is likely to start a rehab assignment Tuesday after taking live at-bats and playing some field this week at the Yankees’ player development complex.

The veteran infielder is expected to play in an extended spring training game this weekend as he continues his ramp up before beginning his 20-day rehab clock.

Giancarlo Stanton (tennis elbows) joined the Yankees on the trip to Tampa, but Boone was non-committal on when he would advance to taking live at-bats.

So far, Stanton has just been hitting off the Trajekt pitching machine.

J.C. Escarra (1-for-4) drew his third start of the season, catching Warren with Wells getting a normal day off, Boone said.