Verdict on Judge is in: No soph slump for

TAMPA — With Opening Day less than a week away, Aaron Judge appears to be in regular-season form. Judge went 2-for-3 with two homers, four RBI, four runs scored and two walks on Wednesday night, as the Yankees beat the Orioles, 9-4. “He’s winning a lot of pitches is how I would put it, and that’s been a trend I’ve seen with him,” Aaron Boone said of Judge. Giancarlo Stanton said earlier Wednesday he feels like Judge isn’t satisfied with his recordbreaking 2017 campaign. “It doesn’t carry over — your stats from last year,” Judge said. “I wish they carried over, and I was starting out with 52 homers. But that’s the thing — nobody cares about last year. Once it’s Opening Day, everybody starts out the same, so I have to go out there and do better, just put the work in and do my job.”

At this time a year ago, Judge was fighting for a job. “It seems like just yesterday. Can’t forget that. Reminded everyday,” Judge said. “You don’t forget that. You never forget that.”

The 25-yearold has been rounding into form since offseason surgery on his left shoulder.

“It’s getting there,” Judge said. “Just want to make sure I’m peaking Opening Day.”

Judge has been putting in extra work to make up for lost time due to his rehab, hitting off the breaking ball machine and watching video with the team’s hitting coaches. Judge DH’d for the entire game, with Boone wanting his regulars to play nine innings before the season starts.

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