NEW YORK – When it comes to the first inning, MLBbro Aaron Judge is the man. His bro bomb in the first frame late Sunday afternoon helped the Yankees to a 7-0 victory over the Royals at Yankees Stadium.
There was no score when the Yankees broke it open in the bottom of the first. After Ben Rice led off with a walk, Judge followed and swung at the first pitch – a knuckle curveball – from Royals right-hander Cole Ragans and parked it into Monument Park behind the center-field wall. It was Judge’s fifth homer, ninth overall, of the season during the opening frame.
Judge now has 90 career home runs in the first inning and that’s the third-most in franchise history, trailing only Babe Ruth (126) and Mickey Mantle (103). Since 2024, forty-three of Judge’s 120 bombs have come in the first inning
After Judge’s longball, New York’s offense was contagious. The Bronx Bombers ended up with two more homers including a three-run shot from MLBbro Trent Grisham.
“I think when the captain [Judge] gets it going like he can in the first, it does seem to have an effect on things,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.
Whenever Judge hits a home run, according to teammate José Caballero, it’s like getting a breather.
“We don’t have to think about too much. We just try to go out there and deliver. We already have the lead because of him. He is our leader and he is always [out] in front,” Caballero said.
Judge said he has those 90 career first-inning homers because he is always near the top of the lineup, but then was modest when talking about his success in the opening frame.
“I’m just trying to do my job,” Judge said.
