It’s the first day of the baseball season, and Aaron Judge is already taking the MLB world by storm.
After hitting a New York Yankees club-record 62 home runs in 2022, Judge won the American League MVP. Many of those in the sport believed that Judge was due for a natural regression, as keeping up with the pace he did last season is not improbable, but certainly not expected either.
On Thursday, Judge stood in the box at Yankee Stadium for the first time since signing a massive contract extension to stay in New York long-term. It was only rather fitting that Judge would hit a home run in his first at-bat of the season and do so in his first at-bat against a team he heavily considered signing with this offseason: the San Francisco Giants.
AARON JUDGE HOME RUN IN HIS FIRST AT BAT OF THE SEASON pic.twitter.com/IJQ391g4ia
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) March 30, 2023
Judge picked up where he left off, taking Giants ace Logan Webb deep on the second pitch he saw on the young season.
ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan put it perfectly, tweeting: “Aaron Judge’s first at-bat of 2023 ends the same way 62 of his at-bats in 2022 did: home run. Yankees lead San Francisco, 1-0, after the Captain’s solo shot.”
Aaron Judge’s first at-bat of 2023 ends the same way 62 of his at-bats in 2022 did: home run. Yankees lead San Francisco, 1-0, after the Captain’s solo shot.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 30, 2023
The MLB world reacted to the insane news that Judge went deep yet again.
Aaron Judge is the first Yankee to hit a home run in the first game of the season immediately following setting the AL home run record since Roger Maris did the exact same thing in 1962.
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) March 30, 2023
that's Aaron Judge's first career Opening Day home run https://t.co/o9PK477tQi
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) March 30, 2023
Of course Aaron Judge hits a home run in his first at-bat of the season that happens to come against the team he almost signed with.
— Mike Mayer (@mikemayer22) March 30, 2023
AARON JUDGE IS DIFFERENT 😭😭
— Trending Topic 🤷🏾♂️ (@BigTicket73) March 30, 2023
Aaron Judge just homered in his first at-bat of the season, because of course he did.
His first of many as captain.
— Max Goodman (@MaxTGoodman) March 30, 2023
BREAKING: Aaron Judge is on-pace to hit 648 HR this season, provided he gets 4 ABs a game and plays all season.
This is me telling you he just went deep in his first AB of 2023. lol
— Gary Phillips (@GaryHPhillips) March 30, 2023
Nobody thinks Aaron Judge can hit 62 home runs again this season?
He's on pace for like 700 after homering in his first at-bat in 2023.
— Brendan Kuty 🧟♂️ (@BrendanKutyNJ) March 30, 2023
The one time they don't cut into an Aaron Judge at bat he homers.
— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) March 30, 2023
Aaron Judge hit a home run? What year is this? All of the other years that have happened?
— Foolish Baseball (@FoolishBB) March 30, 2023
Aaron Judge, struggling to carry the weight of his newly minted Yankees captaincy, hits the second pitch he sees out to Monument Park.
— Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) March 30, 2023
