The New York Yankees are back in first position in the American League East, and it appears that their two finest players are in peak form. Aaron Judge continues to hit home runs at an impressive clip, and star pitcher Gerrit Cole appears to be on top of his game as well.
Judge launched his 48th home run of the season in a 6-0 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday afternoon, and Cole allowed only one hit in 6.0 innings against the visitors. Cole did not have his normal strikeout pitch, as he only fanned two Cleveland batters. He was also a bit wild, issuing five bases on balls, but he refused to give in to any of the Cleveland hitters.
However, following the game, Cole was concerned with ensuring that Judge received the credit he earned. Cole believes Judge has distinguished himself from the other great players who are currently competing.
“There’s no one that can compare to him,” Cole told Yankees beat writer Gary Phillips. “Definitely not walking around right now. “I mean, outside of [Barry] Bonds.”
Many elite players see Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers as the best player in the Major Leagues, while some may choose Ohtani’s colleague Mookie Betts or Marcell Ozuna of the Atlanta Braves, but Cole definitely believes in his teammate.
Judge has been scintillating after a slow start this year
Judge has homered in his previous three games, and while it appears that no ballpark is too big for him, Yankee Stadium’s dimensions are ideal for him. Judge will take any outside pitch to the other field, and the small porch in right field is easily accessible.
Judge is slicing.Since April 27, he’s hit 380/.507/.829, with 43 home runs and 104 RBI. Over the course of 98 games, he drew 83 walks and scored 90 runs.
Judge’s season batting line is.334/.465/.722, with 118 RBI and 48 home runs. He also leads the big leagues in OPS (1.187) and total bases (322).
In comparison, Ohtani is slicing.291/.378/.610, with 39 home runs and 88 RBIs. He has scored 96 runs and walked 69 times while acting as the Dodgers’ designated hitter. Ohtani has not pitched this season, but it appears that he will return to the mound in 2025.
Ozuna is also enjoying an excellent season since he is slicing.309/.381/.594, with 37 home runs and 94 RBI.
While Judge has been strong, he frequently deflects praise away from himself and attempts to spread it among the team. Following a midseason collapse in which they lost a significant lead in the division, the Yankees have won 15 of their past 23 games, regaining first place in the American League East.
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