Holliday sure Judge will
For Yankee fans wondering when Aaron Judge is going to break out of his second-half slump and resemble the slugger he was in the first three months of the 2017 season, teammate Matt Holliday says get ready. That slugging stretch is coming soon.
“It looks like the timing is going to be awesome. When you come out of these things, especially when you have the talent he has, it comes out big. It’s gonna come out at the right time. He carried us for a long time in the first half. There’s a stretch of that coming, and it’s gonna be good timing,” said Holliday Friday, after the team reinstated him from the disabled list where he landed Aug. 6 with a left lumbar strain. “I’m not worried about (Judge) at all. I’m going to give him a hug. I’m excited about what’s coming.”
Holliday kept his promise and later embraced Judge near the rookie’s locker. Judge, who’s second-half slump has been dissected from every corner of baseball, said Holliday’s return “is gonna be a huge boost for us.” The rookie Judge and the veteran Holliday became close during spring training, and Judge said he’s “leaned on” Holliday all year, even when the Yankee designated hitter was not with the team during separate DL stints.
“I was still talking to him. He’s a leader and a mentor. I just was always asking questions in spring training. He’s just a great guy — welcomed me in, welcomed in a lot of younger guys,” said Judge.
Holliday wasn’t in the lineup Friday night, because manager Joe Girardi said lefties have had better at-bats against Boston’s starter Friday, right-hander Doug Fister. Holliday has played in 88 games for the Bombers this season, and more recently, played five games with the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.
“I felt real good about some of my swings from at-bats the last few days. Playing against Minnesota (Triple-A Rochester Red Wings), they had a couple big league guys on reassignment and their Triple-A bullpen is high 90s, kind of what you see in the big leagues. I felt like I got the chance to see some really good pitching. Felt good about some of my at-bats, and the timing