WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Returning to his roots in the Sacramento region, Aaron Judge showcased his power by hitting two home runs, although his efforts weren’t enough for the New York Yankees, who succumbed to an 11-7 defeat against the Athletics. This performance extended his major league-leading home run tally to 14.
Judge, originally from the Sacramento vicinity, had a heartwarming return playing near California’s capital for the first time since his college days. The Yankees are visiting the Athletics at their temporary stadium, bringing Judge closer to the places he grew up. Surrounded by a crowd of 12,113, many of whom were his friends and family, Judge embraced the familiar environment.
Reflecting on the experience, Judge said, “It just felt like being home.” His connection to the Athletics is personal and significant, making the game a special occasion for him. In the first game of the series, Judge had near misses with a score of 1 for 4 alongside a walk. However, the following day, he met A’s owner John Fisher’s expectations with two homers, thrilling the Yankees supporters who echoed “MVP! MVP!”
“Not surprising,” was the reaction from Yankees starter Carlos Rodon about Judge’s performance, indicating admiration for Judge’s consistent excellence at the plate. Judge’s second home run of the game notched his season total to 14 and marked his 41st career multi-homer game, placing him fourth in Yankees history. Currently, he leads the league in several categories including batting average (.396), on-base percentage (.486), slugging percentage (.772), homers, and RBIs (37).
The Athletics’ decision to use this minor league park as a home venue was motivated by its hitter-friendly nature, something Fisher predicted would suit players like Judge. Fisher expressed enthusiasm for watching top-tier talent hit home runs in what he described as “the most intimate ballpark in all of Major League Baseball.”
The game proved fruitful for sluggers, with six home runs in total. Among them was a crucial three-run homer from A’s player Shea Langeliers, which caught pitcher Fernando Cruz off guard, originally considering it a mere sacrifice fly. Cruz commented on the advantage the ballpark gave hitters, stating, “It’s the same for all of us. It’s the same for the other team, the same for me, and the same for my teammates. Just have to come back tomorrow and do the same thing, pitch and locate a little better.”
The stadium, traditionally part of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League, has seen an increase in home runs with an average of 2.75 per game—remarkably more than the previous season’s numbers at the Oakland Coliseum. Yankees manager Aaron Boone remarked on how the warmer conditions might influence the trajectory of balls, noting the unpredictability of the stadium’s future games by saying, “Today was a little different throughout.”