Yanks can't make Mets pay for four Judge walks

NEW YORK — The New York Mets‘ pitching strategy against Aaron Judge on Tuesday was simple: Pitch around the sizzling slugger and make someone else beat them. It worked to perfection in a 3-2 win at Yankee Stadium to improve to 3-0 against the Yankees this season with a chance to sweep the season series Wednesday.

The Mets walked Judge in each of his first four plate appearances — the fourth time intentionally — and left him stranded each time before he struck out in the ninth inning. It was the fourth time Judge has been walked four times in his career and the second time in 2024. Judge’s 79 walks this season rank second in the majors — behind only teammate Juan Soto‘s 81.

Judge entered the night 2-for-6 with a double and a walk in his career against Mets starter Jose Quintana. He saw 14 pitches in his three plate appearances opposite Quintana. He took one called strike and fouled off another pitch. The other 12 pitches were balls.

“He was being careful, especially with what Soto’s doing in front of me and what we’ve been doing all year,” said Judge, who is batting .309 with 35 home runs and a 1.114 OPS this season. “I think they’re just trying to be a little careful and you just got to pass the baton to the next time.”

Judge passed the baton Tuesday three times to first baseman J.D. Davis, and Davis failed to take advantage. The veteran infielder struck out to end the first and fifth innings. In between, he grounded into the double play to end the third frame.

Davis was in the lineup batting fourth to counter the left-handed Quintana as manager Aaron Boone continues to shuffle the lineup around to find production from players not named Soto and Judge and with Giancarlo Stanton still at least a few days away from returning from the injured list. It was Davis’s first game action since a pinch-hit appearance on July 4 and his first start since July 3.

“We just got to get the middle of our order a little more settled,” Boone said. “And hopefully that will come back to bite teams when they do do it and force them to go after Aaron.”

The Mets chose to intentionally walk Judge with first base open and one out in the seventh inning to face pinch-hitter Ben Rice. The rookie battled but flied out to conclude an eight-pitch at-bat. Anthony Volpe then grounded into a fielder’s choice to extinguish the threat.

“It’s not really too frustrating,” Judge said. “I wouldn’t mind that day when it comes with a win. It’s part of it. It’s a team game. Even if I went 4-for-4 today, we still might not win.”

With left-hander Jake Diekman on the for the save, the Mets finally challenged Judge in the ninth inning after Soto worked a four-pitch walk. Judge, after seeing Diekman’s lack of command against Soto, took a fastball down the middle to begin the at-bat. Two pitches later, Judge fouled a changeup over the plate off. Two pitches after that, Diekman caught him looking at a fastball down in the zone for strike three.

“It’s a tough one,” Judge said, “but I got to be ready for it.”

Moments later, Rice grounded out to end the game and leave Soto stranded.