The home runs are still on the way, but Aaron Judge has already started flashing the part of his game that can be just as telling: the ability to walk back into big-league action and look right at home.
Two games into his return from a rib fracture that kept him out for three months, Judge has yet to go deep. That part of the story can wait. What stands out right now is how quickly the Yankees captain has settled in after such a long shutdown, and how little the layoff seems to have shaken his timing.
That was on display in Wednesday night’s 6-1 win over the Rockies. Judge sent two balls into the air that had the Yankee Stadium crowd buzzing - one to fairly deep left-center on Tuesday night and another to center field in his third at-bat Wednesday.
Later, against Japanese right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano, he worked through two 3-2 pitches in his second at-bat before lining the next one into left for a single. In his fourth trip, he added a ground single to left that came off the bat at 97.9 mph.
For Cody Bellinger, that’s the part that separates Judge from just about everyone else. Bellinger said he was struck by how polished Judge already looks at the plate after preparing for his return with only a few days of batting practice and a few at-bats in live BP.
“It’s not easy, but that’s obviously a guy that really understands what he wants to do and how he needs to get ready,” Bellinger said. “You know, it’s not easy to do. But for him, he knew what he had to do and it’s been pretty tremendous.”
Bellinger said the most impressive thing is Judge’s timing. This is a hitter built on elite power, and he’s doing damage after what has likely been the longest stretch of his life without hitting since high school, some 13 to 16 years ago.
“I think he’s special, I really do,” Bellinger added. “He understands his swing probably better than anyone. I feel like the timing and obviously the preparation is something he understands what he needs to do for himself.”
Judge’s manager has liked what he’s seen, too. Aaron Boone said Judge looked good the first time he resumed swinging a couple weeks ago, and that each at-bat since his return has brought something useful, even in Tuesday’s 0-for-3 night with two strikeouts.
“I think it’s all real valuable for him just continuing to see different pitches, have at-bats,” Boone said. “I feel like his swing decisions have been pretty good so far.
The more we do it, obviously the more comfortable he’ll get. So it’s good to see him throw a couple knocks out there, one on the splitter and then he turned around a good heater in his last at-bat.”
Judge played six innings Tuesday and stayed in Wednesday until a pinch-runner replaced him after his eighth-inning hit. Boone said he planned to meet with Judge before leaving the ballpark Wednesday to discuss Thursday night’s game.
Boone had expected to work a day off into the three-game Rockies series, but Judge has pushed to play every game and, ideally, stay in from first pitch to last. Saturday’s Subway Series game at Yankee Stadium could also be a rest day, since it comes as a day game after a night game.
“We’ll talk about that,” Boone said. “I would say it’s a fluid situation these first several days of playing. I’m just trying to kind of get a feel for how he’s looking, how he’s feeling, how he’s recovering, how he’s responding.
“I feel like I’ve been more vague on the committal, other than to say (Tuesday) night I’ll probably play him short. I feel like it could evolve through the weekend too.”
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