ST. PETERSBURG — Aaron Judge just gave everyone a reminder. With his 2022 contract still hanging in limbo, the Bombers’ slugger belted two home runs, showing off his prodigious power and what his bat means to this team. He helped spark the Yankees to a 5-4 come-from-behind win over the Rays at Tropicana Field.
Jose Trevino hammered a 78 mph slider off Ralph Garza Jr. in the top of the eighth for his career-high sixth home run of the season. The two-run, 406-foot shot gave the Yankees their first lead of the night and their 20th comeback win of the season. It was Trevino’s third go-ahead home run in the eighth inning or later this season, tying him with Anthony Rizzo for the most on the team.
The Yankees (51-18) are now 14-4 after losses this season and won their 18th series of the season, their second straight over the Rays (37-32). They are 26-12 against the American League East. They have the best record in baseball and finished the six-game road trip 4-2.
Judge, who has his arbitration hearing via zoom Friday morning, got the Yankees to the point Trevino could make a difference.
The 30-year-old hammered his major-league leading 26th and 27th home runs of the season. It was his sixth multi-home run game of the season and the 22nd of his career. The six multi-home run games through the team’s first 60 games are the second most in baseball history, according to ESPN Stats and Info. Only Reggie Jackson’s seven in 1969 are better.
Judge’s first homer was a 396-foot shot off Shane Baz in the fourth inning. His second was a majestic, soaring, 406-foot home run over the catwalk at Tropicana Field in the seventh, cutting the Rays lead to a run.
The arbitration hearing is over a $4 million difference. Judge wanted $21 million, the Yankees offered $17 million. The Bombers did offer Judge an extension that would have been worth over $230 million including this season, but they could not come to an agreement before his Opening Day deadline. While the arbitration panel of three are not supposed to let what Judge has already done this season influence them, the Yankees certainly have to consider it, especially with this team on such a good roll.
The Yankees scored their other run of the night on a Taylor Walls’ throwing error in the sixth inning.
Jordan Montgomery just wasn’t sharp from the beginning, but because of concerns about their bullpen usage, they had to ride with him as long as they could. The Yankees lefty allowed a season-high four runs, snapping a streak of 13 straight starts of three earned runs or less. He gave up two on home runs, the first time he has allowed multiple homers in a game this season. He walked two and struck out a season-low tying two.
Montgomery got seven swings-and-misses, four on his changeup and none on his fastball. Clarke Schmidt pitched a scoreless inning, Michael King pitched a perfect inning and Clay Holmes picked up his 12th save after blowing his first save of the season on Monday.
Isaac Paredes, who the Yankees now dread seeing at the plate, homered in his first at-bat in the second inning. He had three homers and was hit by a pitch on Tuesday night. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, he is the first Ray to have home runs in four straight at-bats. On Monday night, the young infielder who the Rays got from Detroit in exchange for formerly Yankees-slayer Austin Meadows, scorched a ground ball up the middle to break up Gerrit Cole’s no-hit bid.
After a groundout, Josh Lowe singled and then Videl Brujan hammered a 91 mph sinker for his second home run of the season. In the fourth Francisco Mejia led off with a double and scored on Brujan’s ground out.
Baz kept the Yankees off balance for 4.2 innings. The Rays talented young right-hander gave up the home run to Judge and that was it. The Bombers got four hits and two walks. He struck out six.
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