“Saw the Ball Disappear”: Aaron Boone Reveals Initial Reaction On Aaron Judge ‘Illegal Play’ On 2nd Base Slide

Aaron Judge‘s highly launched home runs usually dominate the headlines. However, on Sunday, his slide into the second base was what had tongues wagging. One might call it the controversial play or the missed among the varying viewpoints from those involved. Including manager Aaron Boone‘s version of what happened.

In the pivotal sixth inning against the Brewers, with the score tied, Judge was on the center stage. That’s when he slid into second base. Alex Verdugo’s ground ball seemed destined for a double play, however, Judge’s outstretched glove deflected the throw. This allowed Verdugo to reach safely. Quite an unexpected turn of events. 

Aaron Boone’s opinion on Aaron Judge’s slide on 2nd base

While this moment was monumental in leading the Yankees to a 15-5 victory, some perspectives came up about Judge’s 2nd base slide. Particularly Yankees skipper Boone shared his opinion. In a post-game interview, he said, “I just saw the ball disappear. So, I figured it hit him. That’s what I saw.”  But Pat Murphy of the Milwaukee Brewers had a different opinion. 

Captain All Rise’s raised hand on the slide seemed to some to be a deliberate attempt to block the throw. Murphy argued for an interference call, however, the umpires on the field disagreed.  Eventually, however, crew chief Andy Fletcher acknowledged a blown call. “After looking at it off the field in the replay, it appears that the call was missed. It should’ve been called interference because it wasn’t a natural part of his slide.” Considering that the interference on slides is not subject to review, the original call stood.

Unaffected by the controversy, Judge maintained his confidence. Addressing what happened, he said, “That’s never happened before in my life. I’ve been sliding like that for years.” He also added that the throw struck him on the fingers and insisted that it was his usual slide technique.

The opponent players have a different opinion

On one hand, Judge maintained his innocence. On the other, the Brewers held a contrasting view. Manager Murphy argued, “It’s hard to say that he wasn’t making an attempt at least purposely to obstruct”. Willy Adames, Milwaukee’s shortstop who could not complete the double play, seconded Murphy’s opinion.

With that, he highlighted, the difficulty of throwing around Judge’s large frame when his hands are raised. His words were, “He’s like seven feet tall. He’s huge. I feel like with his hands up, he’s taller than me — even when he’s sliding to second base. So it’s a tough space for me to throw the ball.”

Despite that brief controversy, the Yankees’ subsequent offensive explosion overshadowed the missed call. However, the play altered the course of the inning. Whether Judge’s slide was a strategic maneuver or simply his standard technique is still under debate. Nevertheless, one thing is certain – this issue is far from being closed.