NEW YORK — Clarke Schmidt was stunned. The New York Yankees pitcher turned to shortstop Anthony Volpe and exclaimed, “What is going on? This is insane.”
In Game 2 of the American League Championship Series, Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt made a bold move by intentionally walking Juan Soto to load the bases for Aaron Judge in the second inning with one out. At that moment, the Yankees held a 2-0 lead, and the Guardians chose to present Judge — who had smashed a league-leading 58 home runs during the regular season — with a golden opportunity to potentially bury them with a single swing.
Guardians starter Tanner Bibee was struggling to find outs; by then, the Yankees had notched five hits and one walk against Cleveland’s ace. Vogt later explained that his decision was based on the hope that Judge would hit into an inning-ending double play. Judge led MLB with 22 double plays and had been 2-for-16 in the postseason leading up to that at-bat. After walking Soto, Vogt pulled Bibee and brought in Cade Smith, one of MLB’s top relievers this season, to face Judge. While Judge didn’t change the game with one swing, he did manage to drive in a run with a sacrifice fly.
But that moment, the Yankees believe, ignited Judge’s determination for the rest of the game. The Guardians chose to face the presumptive American League MVP despite Soto’s higher ground ball rate during the regular season. Additionally, left-handed hitters performed worse against Smith this season than righties. Ultimately, the Guardians believed they had a better chance of success with Judge at the plate rather than Soto.
Cleveland walks Soto to face Judge pic.twitter.com/vwQdZN9WK5
— Talkin’ Yanks (@TalkinYanks) October 16, 2024
“I think when you walk a guy to face the best hitter in the world and you intentionally walk the guy before, it’s going to piss him off,” Schmidt said. “It’s kind of like poking the bear.”
Schmidt, who is set to start Game 3 for the Yankees on Thursday, stated that he wouldn’t have agreed with the decision to walk Soto if he were on the mound. He believes that intentionally walking Soto to face Judge does not significantly enhance a team’s chances, given the inherent threat that Judge poses, even if he has been struggling.
“He’s the best hitter on the planet this year,” Schmidt said. “It’s only a matter of time before he hits one out of the park. If anything, it’s going to wake him up even more.”
Five innings later, Schmidt’s assessment proved prescient. Judge connected with a Hunter Gaddis fastball at the top of the zone, launching a towering fly ball over the center field wall for a two-run home run — his first of the postseason.
This wasn’t the first time an opposing team opted to walk Soto to face Judge, only for it to backfire. In August, the Chicago White Sox employed the same strategy, and Judge responded by hitting his 300th career home run. While the stakes were low for the White Sox, facing Judge in the ALCS represented a far bolder gamble.
“Why would you walk to get to the best player in baseball?” Jazz Chisholm Jr. asked rhetorically.
“We know that’s one of those types of moments that we want to happen,” Oswaldo Cabrera said. “I think Judge wanted that moment to feel that he’s the captain, that he can show what he can do for us. I think that was a good thing that happened.”
Judge expressed no surprise at the Guardians’ decision to walk Soto, given his postseason performance. When Soto stepped into the box in the second inning, he boasted a 1.111 OPS and had just hit a home run in the previous night’s Game 1. Judge noted that if the choice were his, he would walk Soto as well. Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo, however, preferred to challenge Soto, believing that neither option offered a clear path to safety. Still, he understood the rationale behind Cleveland’s strategy.
“I respect Stephen Vogt,” Rizzo said. “I’ve respected him so much as a player, and what he’s doing as a manager has been amazing his first year. It takes a lot of courage to do that move, and ultimately we got the sac fly. But you definitely respect it as a player probably playing behind him, too.”
Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres suggested that moment could ignite Judge’s typical surge at the plate. When asked for his reaction to the intentional walk of Soto, Torres remarked, “They woke up Judge.”
O Captain, My Captain. @TheJudge44 👨⚖️ pic.twitter.com/a7owWRGZgu
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 16, 2024
Although Judge stated he didn’t take issue with the move, his teammates believe that, deep down, he feels differently.
“He might not say it but we’re all professional athletes,” Schmidt said. “Even if you don’t show it, there’s a bit of ego behind everything that we do, especially when you make it to being the best. He’s the best in the game. He finds motivation in a million different ways. I’m sure that’s another way he found motivation.”
In ESPN’s docuseries “The Last Dance,” which chronicled the 1997-1998 Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan, there’s a moment showcasing a compilation of perceived slights against Jordan. His response to each of these moments is, “I took that personally.” Jordan ensured he always had the last word against anyone who tried to disrespect him. While Judge doesn’t engage in trash talk like Jordan, he possesses the gravitas on the field to ensure everyone knows exactly where he stands.
“That’s the best way to describe it,” Schmidt said. “The Jordan meme.”
(Top photo of Juan Soto and Aaron Judge: Mary DeCicco / MLB Photos via Getty Images)
