It was all set up for Aaron Judge to own the day. Two outs, bottom of the ninth, tie game on opening day in the Bronx. Judge comes to bat and rips a line-drive double into the left field corner. He’s got to trot in with the winning run, right? Surely that would happen next.
Well, no. Judge was stranded on second base. The Yankees did beat the Boston Red Sox, 6-5, on Josh Donaldson’s single in the 11th inning. Judge was on deck at the end. It was fitting for an opener that just didn’t feel quite right.
Judge had begun the day by moving into Brett Gardner’s old locker at Yankee Stadium, prime real estate in the home clubhouse: adjacent to an empty stall, right next to the showers, with a clear view of the TV.
“I talked to Gardy a little bit about it — he said, ‘Take care of it,’” Judge said. “It’s an incredible honor.”
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