NEW YORK – Before the first pitch on Wednesday, Yankees manager Aaron Boone was asked if Aaron Judge would get the Barry Bonds treatment given his good hitting style this summer.
Opposing teams might start intentionally forcing him to walk, or at least playing around him in free base situations to make sure he doesn’t hit a home run or do damage.
They can then try their luck with whoever bats fourth, a spot in the batting lineup that has been a weak spot for the Yankees since Giancarlo Stanton was injured last month.
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Restoring glory
The Reds had the opportunity to potentially try out this strategy in the seventh inning on Wednesday night.
The Yankees were down by one — there were runners on first and third base and two men out — and Judge stepped up to bat. The sold-out crowd of 47,646 was thrilled. The Yankees had the momentum in their grasp, having scored two runs earlier in the period. But instead of giving Judge a walk to face first baseman JD Davis — or a pinch hitter — the Reds attacked Judge.
And it worked perfectly.
Judge hit a first-pitch fastball from reliever Fernando Cruz on the ground to Reds third baseman Noelvi Marte for a routine 5-4-3 double play. The Yankees went scoreless in the next two innings and lost 3-2.
The Yankees have now lost five of their last six series and have fallen from 27 games over .500 to 20 during that span.
This double play was fatal for the Yankees, but it wasn’t the only reason they lost their second consecutive game against the Reds.
Left-hander Carlos Rodón gave up three earned runs in the loss. He managed eight strikeouts and pitched well when relying on his secondary pitches – a successful adjustment after what his last few outings had brought – but was hit again by a strike.
Marte hit a two-run shot against Rodón’s heater in the second inning. The pitch landed down and in the field as he aimed for the top of the zone. Center fielder Stuart Fairchild hit a hanging slider to left and managed a solo shot in the fifth inning.
“I would like to have some pitches back,” Rodón said. “I wish I had kept a few runs off the board and given the guys a better chance, but now it’s on to the next one.”
The Yankees out-hit the Reds but couldn’t get a big hit in the early goings of the fateful seventh inning. Designated hitter Jahmai Jones opened the inning with a resounding double into the corner and after a walk by pinch hitter Austin Wells, leadoff man Anthony Volpe drove both runs home with a double into the gap between left and center. Volpe’s two-run knockout capped an 0-for-18 slide.
The Yankees also had runners on base in the eighth and ninth innings, but they were unable to score the tying point.
In the ninth inning, Wells started the inning with a 10-pitch walk, but was promptly taken out of the game by a double play ball from Volpe. Soto then flew out to shallow left field to end the game, giving Judge his turn in the bottom of the ninth.
When asked if he had considered giving Volpe the bunt, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he wanted to try the shortstop because he was so difficult to double. Volpe then added that he wanted to stick to his plan and approach at that moment.
“I trust myself, trust my teammates, trust the coaching staff,” he said. “I expect to get the job done and not fall into a double play.”
LOOKING AHEAD
Thursday: Yankees vs. Reds, 1:05 p.m., YES. RHP Marcus Stroman (7-3, 3.29) vs. RHP Frankie Montas (3-6, 4.23)
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Max Goodman can be reached at [email protected].
