It’s the end of an era. After a long and painful year, the New York Yankees are about to conclude the season with no October baseball. Some of the only bright spots in these dark times have been Aaron Judge and Gerrit Cole. Even after missing significant time, the captain has proven to be out of this world with his home run rampage. The Yankees ace is here for it.

Cole has been a masterclass in pitching all season long, and fans think a Cy Young award is all but confirmed. With the offense struggling, the defense had to step up its game and Gerrit Cole was the frontrunner. Unfortunately, despite pitching a superb season, the team fell disastrously short. Their ace blames it on The Dodger Stadium.

Gerrit Cole Will Not Be Over Dodger Stadium Fiasco Anytime Soon

On June 3, 2023, The Yankees returned for a series against The Los Angeles Dodgers. The ballpark in Elysian Park generally receives good reviews from ballplayers, but The Yankees will probably never say the same again. During game 2 of the series, Aaron Judge had been his usual superhuman self, trying to make an almost impossible outfield catch.

But while he caught the ball, the captain’s toe rammed into the concrete slab near the bottom. It was as painful as it sounds and took two months of recovery before Judge was able to come back. The slugger has been pushing through lingering pain but his performance at the plate would leave anyone gasping.

While Judge’s batting average has undoubtedly suffered, the Yankees player has hit 37 home runs in 103 games, which currently ranks him fourth in the AL. Even Gerrit Cole cannot help being impressed, although he does blame the Dodgers’ ballpark for the numbers not being higher.

“Can we get some padding in Dodger Stadium?” was his simple reply when asked about his captain’s performance post-injury return. The pitcher feels the frustration at what could have been an excellent season. Maybe the Yankees wouldn’t have ended their World Series drought, but at least the playoffs would be guaranteed.

In Contrast, Aaron Judge Isn’t Too Furious

For someone who had to bear through excruciating pain for two months and then play through it, Aaron Judge is surprisingly mild. Rumors of the Bronx captain suing the stadium for neglect made the rounds when he was first injured. But the slugger quickly rejected them as baseless with three simple words.

READ MORE – Amid Toe Injury Recovery, Yankees Captain Aaron Judge May Be Back With ‘Teacherman’ Who Helped Him Become AL MVP Caliber Hitter

“Nah, no need,” he told the New York Daily News. The fateful incident had a terribly huge impact on the season but after his return, Judge has tried to make up for missing time.

While some may not be satisfied at the ballpark not shouldering responsibility, some have gotten over it. It can only be hoped that 2024 is better.

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