Aaron Judge Shines in Return to Sacramento with Two Home Runs

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Aaron Judge celebrated his return to the Sacramento area by hitting two home runs Saturday, though his team, the New York Yankees, lost to the Oakland Athletics 8-5. This game marked Judge’s first appearance in the Sacramento area since his college days.

Judge, who was born in Sacramento and grew up in nearby Linden, played in front of 12,113 fans at the minor league park hosting the A’s. Many in the crowd were friends and family, making the moment even more special for the star outfielder.

“It just felt like being home,” Judge said after the Yankees’ win on Friday night. He added that playing against the A’s is always a familiar experience for him. “It was special.”

In the game, Judge led off the fourth inning with a homer off Athletics pitcher Ken Waldichuk and then connected again in the sixth inning against Adrian Martinez. The home runs extended Judge’s major league-leading total to 14.

The Yankees starter praised Judge, saying, “Not surprising. Once again putting on great swings like he always does. Really good player.” Judge’s second homer marked his 41st career multihomer game, placing him fourth in Yankees history.

This season, Judge is leading the majors with a .396 batting average, .486 on-base percentage, .772 slugging percentage, and 37 RBIs. The Athletics owner, John Fisher, expressed excitement about the offense that could be seen at the temporary ballpark, stating, “We’re excited to be here for the next three years playing in this beautiful ballpark but also being able to watch some of the best players in baseball.”

Overall, the game featured six home runs, including a three-run shot from the A’s player, who said he was shocked when the ball carried over the wall. The stadium, previously used only for Triple-A games, has seen an increase of over 40% in home runs compared to the prior season at the Oakland Coliseum.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone commented on the ballpark’s potential for offense, noting, “I’m sure as the summer builds up and the heat builds up, the PCL is known for that.”