Aaron Judge hit a home run into right field at Yankee Stadium during Tuesday night’s game, as he often does.
However, things took a twist in the Bronx from there.
Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. missed a chance to catch it off the wall, but fans in the front row managed to snag Judge’s ball.
Decked out in green jerseys, they celebrated, jumping up and down with excitement.
But there was a catch, if you will.
The ball slipped out of one fan’s gloves and rolled along the top of the wall right in front of another fan in a gray jersey.
It was clear the fan in gray quickly pocketed the ball. Meanwhile, the fans who initially caught it seemed unaware, celebrating their newfound souvenir.
The drama didn’t stop there. A fan nearby eventually returned the ball to the original group, resulting in a selfie to commemorate the moment.
All of this unfolded under the watchful eye of YES Network cameras, with play-by-play commentary from Michael Kay.
Kay humorously speculated on the gray jersey fan’s thought process: “I’ll just pocket this; no one will notice.”
To which analyst Paul O’Neill quipped, “Well, only the photographers saw it.”
What looked like it might end in a fourth consecutive loss for the Yankees turned into a memorable night, as they bounced back for a decisive 12-3 victory over the Padres after strong performances from Adrian Morejon and Wandi Peralta.
The two teams will wrap up their series on Wednesday night, with Max Fried and Dylan taking the mound.
