BOSTON – Judge’s Stellar Performance Against Crochet

Judge Aaron faced Garrett Crochet for the seventh time during Boston’s ninth inning, but the judge ultimately went back to the dugout.

According to Elias, this marked only the second time in Judge’s career that he had faced one pitcher repeatedly across various at-bats.

At Fenway Park on Friday night, Judge demonstrated why he’s considered the top hitter in today’s game.

His 26th home run of the season—hit off Crochet’s fastest pitch—gave the Yankees their first run and tied the game before they eventually lost 2-1 in ten innings. Still, it highlighted the ongoing rivalry between the outfielder and the left-handed pitcher that fans should look forward to over the next few seasons.

“He’s an incredible pitcher,” Judge remarked. “They made a great move in getting him. He can pitch effectively to both sides of the plate, and it’s quite something to deal with. I was just trying to get things started for us, and I was pleased to find a way to tie it up.”

Manager Aaron Boone added, “We’re talking about two elite talents here. Crochet can really bring it. Judge saw a lot of pitches tonight, and with how that at-bat developed, it felt like he was really locked in.”

Judge mentioned he made some adjustments during that final at-bat. “What I was trying wasn’t working,” he admitted.

Crochet had faced Judge last Saturday in the Bronx, where Judge had gone 5-for-5 with four strikeouts, with his only hit against Crochet in 2021.

On Friday, Judge attempted to make an impact early, leading off the fourth inning and then again in the sixth inning before finally connecting in the ninth. His sixth at-bat had already featured some of the fastest pitches of the season.

Crochet came out for the ninth, aiming for the first complete game of his career. After getting Ben Rice to ground out, Judge battled him through a full count.

The night ended for Crochet after Judge’s home run, as Aroldis Chapman came in to secure the final two outs of the inning before the Yankees fell in the tenth. They won’t meet again this season, meaning fans will have to wait a while to see these two stars go head-to-head again, but it should be worth the wait.