Fansided

Aaron Judge rises: Best memes and tweets as Yankees slugger silences haters with towering moonshot

ByAlicia de Artola|
Oct 15, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (99) runs the base after hitting a two run home run during the seventh inning against the Cleveland Guardians in game two of the ALCS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Oct 15, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (99) runs the base after hitting a two run home run during the seventh inning against the Cleveland Guardians in game two of the ALCS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

It's had been two years since New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge launched a baseball out of the park in October. Worse still, his batting average of .118 in the 2024 playoffs was becoming something of a rallying cry for his critics. He shut them up in Game 2 of the ALCS.

On Tuesday night, Judge added two runs to the Yankees' lead over the Cleveland Guardians with a 414-foot home run over the center field wall.

It's tough to call Judge a playoff choker when he launches the ball like this...

John Sterling said it best: "Judge hit the ball so high you wondered. It came down in Monument Park. It's a Judgian blast. All rise!"

It should surprise absolutely no one that Yankees fans were jazzed to see that one. It wasn't even about Judge giving New York some insurance runs. They were likely on track to win with or without that heater. But seeing the main man in pinstripes get the proverbial monkey off his back was gratifying because that storyline can be put to bed. Judge can now focus on contributing without accusations of a slump getting to him.

Best memes and tweets after Aaron Judge his first postseason home run of 2024

The guys at Talkin' Yanks were flying with some NSFW live reaction.

Did the home run settle the MVP race? Well, Judge's play during the regular season basically wrapped that up anyways, but a postseason moment like that helps.

Judge finding his swing doesn't bode well for the Guardians, who are in a hole that will be tough to climb out of.

Were the "choker" allegations even legitimate before that blast? Some fans weren't buying it.

Meanwhile, Skip Bayless decided to compare Aaron Judge to Aaron Rodgers. So, there's that.

Judge came through for New York when Rodgers didn't, throwing a game-ending interception on Monday Night Football? I guess that's his point...

Over in Cleveland, Judge's homer and the success of other highly paid Yankees made fans more angry with their ownership than their players.

The Yankees were well on their way to a 2-0 lead in the ALCS over the Guardians and Judge did have a role to play in nearly ever run. His high looping infield fly induced an error that scored a run in the first. Then he brought home Anthony Rizzo in the second with a sacrifice fly. His home run in the seventh inning capped things off at 6-2.

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