The New York Yankees are hitting back after a disappointing postseason. After a heartbreaking end to September, fans have been speculating whether the team will be able to earn back its former glory or not. A recent Silver Slugger nomination for the team’s current captain Aaron Judge seems to bring a much-needed source of inspiration for the entire team.

The slugger has been putting in his full effort to give a consistent performance ever since his MLB debut. Despite the team’s disappointing season, Judge’s 2023 has been anything but. Interestingly, his recent nomination has brought to fans’ minds his iconic moonshot against the Toronto Blue Jays.

A Ruthian swing for the moon by Aaron Judge

It was May 17, 2023. The Yankees were suffering from a barrage of backlash from baseball fans following cheating allegations. A few days ago, some people had accused team captain Aaron Judge of foul play for shifty eyes before his first pitch. The media were nagging and running down their frontrunners; their players were in a state of utter chaos, torn between surviving their team’s dignity or protecting their own. But what about the main man himself?

Aaron Judge stepped down on the field in the eighth inning. He looked straight into the eyes of Erik Swanson, the Blue Jays pitcher, after spending a day covering his eyes in front of the media following the cheating accusation. The captain took a deep breath and swung his bat at the ball coming straight for him. The ball flew 448 feet away, scoring a homer after breaking the huge maple leaf symbol on Rogers Centre in Toronto. A legend was born. Judge etched his name in the history of Yankees in golden letters.

The legendary video of the play came up again when the slugger got nominated for a Silver Slugger award. The last time he won one was in 2017; it was right after he broke into the Yankees scene with a record rookie score of 52 homers. Judge’s record of 62 homers in ’22 and 37 in ’23 in just 106 games shows why he deserved his second nomination. But was the Blue Jays Maple Leaf smash the only remarkable stint of his career?

Judge and the Jury: Examining Aaron Judge and His Impactful Moves in MLB History

On April 19 this year, Judge robbed Shohei Ohtani of his chance at a moonshot; he threw the ball back to the field with the hilt of his glove. Just a few months ago, he became the first player to reach 250 homers in MLB. Just a few weeks later, he was smashing a three-run walk-off homer against the Houston Astros. The man just never stops.

Read More: Did Yankees Captain Aaron Judge Accidentally Drop Juan Soto Hint Today?

It is not sure whether Judge will be bagging this season’s Silver Slugger or not. But one thing can be said for sure: Judge is here to stay and slay till the end of his time on the diamond. All rise for the All Rise of the revered Yankees team!

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