MINNEAPOLIS — There is a difference between Aaron Boone saying he liked how Aaron Judge looked in his first week back from a three-month stay on the injured list, and Judge actually going out and crushing a majestic shot.
But the captain delivered on Boone’s optimism Monday night, looking like his old self by clobbering a three-run shot to the third deck in left field as the Yankees beat the Twins 8-3 at Target Field while clinching their playoff berth.
“It feels like Judge is back,” José Caballero said.
Somehow, the tape-measure shot was only estimated at 397 feet, but it felt as if it alleviated some of the concerns about Judge’s timing after he entered the at-bat 3-for-20 with one walk and 11 strikeouts in his first five-plus games back.
“It felt good — just like the other swings, at least I made contact that time, so it’s a little better than the other ones,” said Judge, who had grounded into a double play and struck out twice in his first three at-bats Monday. “But just trying to get better every single day. I know the ultimate goal is to be ready for the postseason, but there’s some important games the next couple weeks that I got to be ready to go. So I’m just happy I could help the team tonight.”
His teammates were more effusive about the promise that the swing offered.
“Oh my goodness, that was quite a shot,” Ben Rice said. “What a swing. You could really get used to seeing that, especially this time of year.”
Rice appeared to help Judge know what was coming from Twins lefty A.J. Minter, waving his hands the pitch before on a changeup but not on the inside cutter that Judge ultimately clobbered for his first home run since May 24.
As much help as the Yankees hope to have around Judge as they head toward the postseason, their hopes and dreams center on the back-to-back AL MVP and what he can do in the batter’s box even after missing a large chunk of the regular season and coming back without going on a rehab assignment.
“I’ve been pleased,” Boone said. “I haven’t been the least bit concerned about anything. … He’s not all the way where he’s going to get to, but he’s got 20-plus at-bats now, which I think is valuable. We still got a couple weeks now to go and he’s only going to get hopefully more sharp as we head to the finish line.”
As of Monday afternoon, Boone’s thinking was that he would give Judge Wednesday’s series finale off into Thursday’s team off-day, and then have him “pretty much” a full go for the final three series of the regular season.
