Aaron Judge powers New York Yankees comeback to keep season alive with clutch Game 3 heroics
TOI GLOBAL DESK | TOI Global Desk | Oct 08, 2025, 23:35 IST
Aaron Judge powers New York Yankees comeback to keep season alive with clutch Game 3 heroics
( Image credit : AP )
Highlight of the story: Aaron Judge led the Yankees to a 9-6 comeback win over the Blue Jays in Game 3 of the ALDS, keeping their season alive with a four-RBI performance that included a three-run homer off a 100 mph pitch. Judge went 3-for-4, made a diving catch, and drew “MVP” chants as New York forced Game 4.
Aaron Judge stepped up and delivered one of the most complete performances of his postseason career when the New York Yankees needed saving on Tuesday night.
The Yankees captain helped the team keep their season alive by fueling the Yankees to a 9-6 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 3 of the AL Division Series.
“Just an awesome, MVP-like performance,” manager Aaron Boone said. “A pretty incredible night for the captain.”
The Yankee Stadium crowd chanted “MVP!MVP!” as Aaron Judge put up a show with his bat, glove, and speed, going 3 for 4 with a walk and scoring three times.
Trailing by five in the early innings, the Yankees mounted a historic rally, scoring eight straight runs to record their largest comeback ever in an elimination game. Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a go-ahead solo homer in the fifth inning, and the bullpen came through with 6⅔ scoreless innings to finish it off.
“Tonight was special, but there’s still more work to be done,” Judge said. “Hopefully, we have some more cool moments like this the rest of the postseason.”
The game’s defining moment came in the fourth inning. With two runners on and Toronto right-hander Louis Varland on the mound, Judge sought out Giancarlo Stanton in the dugout for advice.
“Big G saw him in Toronto. I asked him. I hadn’t seen Louis since he was with the Twins and was a starter. I wanted a brush-up. I’ve seen all the videos, seen all the appearances, but it’s a difference when you step in the box and see him live,” Judge said.
On a 0-2 pitch, Judge turned on a 100 mph fastball inside and somehow kept it fair, sending a three-run homer off the left-field foul pole and igniting Yankee Stadium.
“I guess a couple ghosts out there helped kind of keep that fair,” he said.
Toronto manager John Schneider could only admire the swing. “A ridiculous swing,” he said.
“He made a really good pitch look really bad,” Varland added.
At 99.7 mph, it was the fastest pitch Judge has ever homered on and the first time any player has gone deep on a pitch that fast and that far inside since pitch tracking began in 2008.
“I don’t know. I get yelled at for swinging at them out of the zone, but now I’m getting praised for it,” Judge said. “After he blew my doors off on the pitch before, I said just get ready, see a good pitch, and drive it.”
Aaron Judge later made a diving catch in right field to save a run and scored after being intentionally walked, prompting more “MVP” chants from the crowd.
“He’s had a good postseason. He’s had a pretty good career,” Schneider said. “There’s times where you just don’t want him to swing.”
After years of October frustration, Judge has been nearly unstoppable this postseason, hitting .636 in this series and .500 overall with six RBIs and a 1.304 OPS.
For one night in the Bronx, Aaron Judge didn’t just keep the Yankees alive. He carried them.
The Yankees captain helped the team keep their season alive by fueling the Yankees to a 9-6 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 3 of the AL Division Series.
“Just an awesome, MVP-like performance,” manager Aaron Boone said. “A pretty incredible night for the captain.”
The Yankee Stadium crowd chanted “MVP!MVP!” as Aaron Judge put up a show with his bat, glove, and speed, going 3 for 4 with a walk and scoring three times.
Trailing by five in the early innings, the Yankees mounted a historic rally, scoring eight straight runs to record their largest comeback ever in an elimination game. Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a go-ahead solo homer in the fifth inning, and the bullpen came through with 6⅔ scoreless innings to finish it off.
“Tonight was special, but there’s still more work to be done,” Judge said. “Hopefully, we have some more cool moments like this the rest of the postseason.”
The game’s defining moment came in the fourth inning. With two runners on and Toronto right-hander Louis Varland on the mound, Judge sought out Giancarlo Stanton in the dugout for advice.
“Big G saw him in Toronto. I asked him. I hadn’t seen Louis since he was with the Twins and was a starter. I wanted a brush-up. I’ve seen all the videos, seen all the appearances, but it’s a difference when you step in the box and see him live,” Judge said.
On a 0-2 pitch, Judge turned on a 100 mph fastball inside and somehow kept it fair, sending a three-run homer off the left-field foul pole and igniting Yankee Stadium.
“I guess a couple ghosts out there helped kind of keep that fair,” he said.
Toronto manager John Schneider could only admire the swing. “A ridiculous swing,” he said.
“He made a really good pitch look really bad,” Varland added.
At 99.7 mph, it was the fastest pitch Judge has ever homered on and the first time any player has gone deep on a pitch that fast and that far inside since pitch tracking began in 2008.
“I don’t know. I get yelled at for swinging at them out of the zone, but now I’m getting praised for it,” Judge said. “After he blew my doors off on the pitch before, I said just get ready, see a good pitch, and drive it.”
Aaron Judge later made a diving catch in right field to save a run and scored after being intentionally walked, prompting more “MVP” chants from the crowd.
“He’s had a good postseason. He’s had a pretty good career,” Schneider said. “There’s times where you just don’t want him to swing.”
After years of October frustration, Judge has been nearly unstoppable this postseason, hitting .636 in this series and .500 overall with six RBIs and a 1.304 OPS.
For one night in the Bronx, Aaron Judge didn’t just keep the Yankees alive. He carried them.