June 9 (UPI) — Slugger Aaron Judge said a jab aimed at the New York Yankees from the Boston Red Sox’s Hunter Dobbins was on his mind just before he crushed a fastball from the right-handed pitcher for a 436-foot, first-inning homer.
Judge commented on the insult and his two-run shot after the Red Sox beat the Yankees on Sunday in New York. Judge went 3 for 4 with two home runs, four RBIs, three runs scored and a walk in the 11-7 setback at Yankee Stadium.
Dobbins told the Boston Herald on Saturday he would rather retire from baseball than play for the Yankees. The eighth-round pick by the Red Sox in the 2021 MLB Draft made his MLB debut in April. He grew up watching the Red Sox and said he formed “disdain for the Yankees.”
“My dad was a diehard Red Sox fan,” Dobbins said. “And I’ve said it before, that if the Yankees were the last team to give me a contract, I’d retire.”
Judge said ESPN’s Eduardo Perez told him about Dobbins’ comment before Sunday’s series finale.
The reigning American League MVP, who leads MLB with a .396 average, came to the plate for his first at-bat in the bottom of the first inning.
Yankees designated hitter Ben Rice led off the half inning with a single. Judge didn’t take long to settle in for the next exchange with Dobbins. The right-handed pitcher tossed his lone offering — a 97.5-mph fastball — near the middle of the strike zone.
Judge whipped his bat into the ball, smashing it to right center field for his 22nd homer of the season. After the game, Judge was asked if Dobbins’ comments were on his mind.
“Well, once somebody tells you, yeah,” Judge told reporters.
Judge returned to the plate for his 23rd homer of the season in the bottom of the ninth. That two-run shot to right center field traveled 398 feet. Third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr., center fielder Trent Grisham and second baseman D.J. LeMahieu also drove in runs for the Yankees.
Second baseman Kristian Campbell, catcher Carlos Narvaez, utility man Abraham Toro, designated hitter Rafael Devers and shortstop Trevor Story all homered for the Red Sox.
Dobbins allowed four hits and three runs over five innings to improve to 3-1 this season.
In addition to his batting average, Judge leads MLB with 95 hits, a .493 on-base percentage, .771 slugging percentage, 1.264 on-base plus slugging percentage and 185 total bases. He went 7 for 14 (.500) with two home runs, two doubles, three walks, four strikeouts and five RBIs over his last four games.
The Yankees (39-25) lead the American League East, with a 8.5-game lead over the fourth-place Red Sox (32-35). The Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays — both 35-30 — sit in second place, 4.5 games behind the division leaders. The Baltimore Orioles (26-38) are in last place.
The Yankees will face the Kansas City Royals (34-32) at 7:40 p.m. EDT Tuesday in Kansas City, Mo. The Red Sox will host the Rays at 7:10 p.m. Monday in Boston.
