Alton GonzalezESPN staff writer3 minutes of reading
Spike Lee likes Aaron Judge taking out the fence on a spectacular catch
Running back Aaron Judge takes extra bases from the Dodgers and Spike Lee likes it.
Boone added that Judge “looked a little better this afternoon,” but keeping him out of the lineup for the series finale against the Los Angeles Dodgers allows Judge to take advantage of Monday’s off day and rest again. ft. Asked if he thought Judge should go on the injured list, Boone said, “Not at this point, but we’ll see how he is today, tomorrow and the day after that.”
However, Nestor Cortez There is Expected to move in IL.
Cortez, the Yankees’ left-handed starter, has been battling soreness in his left shoulder, which has slowly recovered between starts in recent weeks. Cortez will be tested more when the team returns to New York, but Boone doesn’t believe he’ll miss more than one or two snaps through the rotation.
“Don’t think it’s a big deal,” Boone said, “but the last two times, the rebounds in between, it’s kind of a pain.”
Cortez, 28, was an All-Star last year but has struggled to a 5.16 ERA through his first 11 starts this season, notably going 13 in nine against the Tampa Bay Rays and Texas Rangers. Cortes will join Frankie Montas and Carlos Rodon among Yankees starters in IL. The Yankees will start Clark Schmidt in Cortez’s place against the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday and undecided on Wednesday.
Judge, 31, is off to another MVP-caliber start this season, slashing .291/.404/.674 with an American League-leading 19 home runs and 40 RBIs.
His catch on Saturday showed why he can be a dynamic right fielder as well.
When the Yankees had a two-run lead and nobody out in the bottom of the eighth, JD Martinez, one of the hottest hitters in the game, uncorked a deep drive into the opposite field. Judge came back, extended his left arm, secured the catch, ran very hard into the bullpen gate, opened the door, tripped at first, picked himself up and threw the baseball back into the infield.
During the catch, Judge’s feet hit the concrete lining that sits under the pad portion of the fence. Boone and a pair of Yankees’ trainers went out to check on him, but Judge dismissed them and stayed in the game.
“The coaching staff should have come out the gate — not for the judge,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts joked.
