NEW YORK — It’s no secret that Aaron Judge is more than just a hitter at this stage of his career, yet he reminded the Cubs of his defensive prowess in the Yankees’ 11-0 win over the Cubs on Friday.
Judge dazzled with a pair of plays in the fourth frame, first robbing Pete Crow-Armstrong of a home run for the second out of the inning. Judge, leaping near the corner in right field, had to work around a Yankees fan doing his best Jeffrey Maier impression, but he extended his glove hand over the wall and came away with a run-saving highlight.
Crow-Armstrong, one of baseball’s best outfielders, could only wave off the play in disappointment as he rounded first base and returned to Chicago’s bench.
Judge then turned a Dansby Swanson line drive into another web gem on the next play.
With the Cubs’ shortstop smoking a Carlos Rodón heater 98.4 mph, Judge ran in and laid out for an inning-ending catch. That play had Rodón raising his arms in disbelief, as well as appreciation.
Judge wasn’t done, though, as another sensational catch ended the eighth with runners on the corners.
This one required a long run toward the corner, but he managed to make another diving catch, stealing an RBI from Kyle Tucker as he slid into foul territory.
Once again, a smiling Rodón showed his love for Judge, waiting for the right fielder near the Yankees dugout after recording his last out of the evening.
While Judge is known for his bat, he’s no stranger to making superb plays in the field.
His defensive rep took a bit of a hit last season, as a move to center, done to accommodate Juan Soto, led to negative metrics across the board. Then came Judge’s infamous — and uncharacteristic — drop in Game 5 of the World Series.
This year, however, Judge is back in right and posting positive numbers once again. He entered Friday’s game with three defensive runs saved, two Outs Above Average and a Fielding Run Value of five.
Judge ranked seventh, seventh and second among 14 qualified right fielders in those respective categories.
Of course, Judge’s bat has stolen the show this season more than his defense. With an 0-for-2, two-walk, two-strikeout performance on Friday — he drove in the game’s first run with a third-inning sac fly — the All-Star is now hitting .354 with a 1.187 OPS, 34 home runs and 79 RBIs this season.