The Yankees and Dodgers will renew their World Series rivalry Friday when New York visits Los Angeles for what should be one of the season’s marquee series. Both teams sit atop their respective divisions, making this feel like an October preview in May.
For the Yankees, it’s a chance to measure themselves against the team that beat them for the championship just months ago. But the trip to Dodger Stadium also brings back some unpleasant memories, particularly for Aaron Judge.
Two years ago, Judge collided with the right field wall at Dodger Stadium and tore a ligament in his big toe. The injury cost him 42 games, and the Yankees’ season essentially fell apart without their best player.
So when Aaron Boone was asked whether Judge would play his usual right field position in the series, it wasn’t exactly an idle question.
“No, he’s going to play right field,” Boone told Talkin’ Yanks on Tuesday.
The Yankees aren’t going to let what happened in 2023 dictate how they approach this series. Judge’s going to be Judge – he’ll chase down everything he can reach, wall or no wall.
That’s probably the right approach. You can’t play scared, especially when you’re talking about a player who’s putting together another MVP-caliber season. Judge’s hitting .395 with 18 home runs through the first month and change, which is just absurd production even by his standards.
The matchup between Judge and Shohei Ohtani has all the makings of must-see television. It’s the reigning AL MVP against the guy who’s probably going to win it this year, assuming Judge keeps hitting like this.
What makes this series even more intriguing is where both teams are right now. The Yankees have been swinging the bats at an elite level, and their pitching staff has stepped up in ways that weren’t expected. If they can get through this weekend healthy – particularly Judge – they should feel good about their chances against anyone in baseball.
Well, maybe outside of the Dodgers.
