ALL RISE AS JUDGE RULES
After dramatic 1st round, Aaron hammers way Home Run Derby
MIAMI — All Rise for MLB’s new Home Run Derby champion: the honorable Aaron Judge. In a prolific power display, Judge hit 47 total homers — including four that traveled more than 500 feet — and defeated Twins third baseman Miguel Sano 11-10 in the finals to claim the title on Monday night at Marlins Park. There were just under two minutes remaining on the clock when his final bomb left the building. So he certainly had plenty left in the tank. Just another notch on the belt for the Yankees’ 25-year-old rookie slugger, whose storybook season only keeps getting better and better. “I had no pressure. I’m a rookie, and it was my first time doing it,” said Judge, who sat with his trophy in the press conference room. “I had no expectations. I was just going to go out there, have some fun and see what we could do tonight. I had a blast. I enjoyed every minute of it.” The 6-foot-7, 282-pound giant certainly left a massive impression on the sports world with his big night. “Aaron Judge is a beast,” Joel Embiid tweeted. “The Judge rendered the verdict! HR Derby champ! Congratulations!” Dave Winfield tweeted.
Judge also captured the College Home Run Derby in 2012. Asked the difference between the two events, Judge replied: “A lot more fans. But it was about the same. You’re nervous, your adrenaline is pumping. You’re excited. This was an incredible experience.”
After taking home the title, Judge was asked on the field if he’ll return next season to defend it. “We’ll see,” Judge replied.
Judge is the first rookie ever to win the Home Run Derby outright, according to Elias Sports Bureau. He is also the fourth Yankee to win the competition, joining Robinson Cano (2011), Jason Giambi (2002) and Tino Martinez (1997).
And to think, here’s what Judge was saying before the event: “I’m just trying to make it out of the first round.”
Judge did way more than that — with one of the most remarkable performances in the history of the event. After being booed by the Miami crowd, Judge defeated Marlins first baseman Justin Bohr 23-22 in the first round to advance to Round 2.
“I was expecting it,” Judge said of the boos. “It was all part of the atmosphere. I enjoyed it all.”
He added: “Once Justin put on a show like that, I knew I had to go to work.”
Judge’s 23 homers were the third-most ever in a single round. Josh Hamilton hit an MLB-record 28 in 2004, while Giancarlo Stanton (2016)
and Bobby Abreu (2005) each hit 24.
Judge highlighted his first round with a 501-foot blast over the Marlins’ ugly-looking home run sculpture in center field. He also hit a ball off the roof, while going opposite field a few times. Judge averaged 432 feet on his homers in Round 1 with an average exit velocity of 111.9 mph.
After breaking a 22-all tie, Judge was mobbed by his American League teammates at home plate.
Bohr had fired up the fans with his incredible power hitting display. At one point he yelled, “Let’s Go!”
In Round 2, Judge hit three 500-foot homers. His last four swings traveled 504 feet, 513 feet, 458 feet and 507 feet. He defeated Dodgers first baseman Cody Bellinger, son of ex-Yankee Clay, 13-12, to advance to the finals. His homers in the second round averaged 448.2 feet.
Judge, the leading candidate for both AL Rookie of the Year and AL MVP, currently tops all major-leaguers with 30 homers. He will bat third and play right field for the AL in Tuesday night’s All-Star Game.
It feels like he’s MLB’s version of Russell Westbrook, with his unfathomable, recordbreaking individual performances overshadowing his team’s current struggles.
Judge’s teammate, No. 8 seed Gary Sanchez, showed Logan Morrison that he was in fact deserving of being in the competition. The Kraken unleashed the biggest upset on Monday night, knocking out defending champion/No. 1 seed Stanton in Round 1, 17-16.
“I was going to compete,” Sanchez replied when asked if Judge owed him for eliminating Stanton. “I was going to compete against whoever they put me up against.”
Morrison had said of Sanchez, who has only 13 homers because he missed 21 games earlier in the season due to a right biceps injury: “Gary shouldn’t be there. Gary’s a great player, but he shouldn’t be in the Home Run Derby.”
Sanchez’s longest homer in Round 1 travelled 483 feet to Stanton’s 496 feet. But El Gary was able to hold the Marlins’ franchise slugger off to advance to Round 2, where he was eliminated by Sano, 11-10.
Yankees regular batting practice pitcher Danilo Valiente threw to both Judge and Sanchez.
“He finds a way to hit my barrel,” Judge said of Valiente. “That’s why he’s here. He’s a fantastic coach and a better person.”
The 2017 Home Run Derby proved to be a rousing success. And of course it was Aaron Judge — who else? — who emerged as the champion.