Yankees’ Aaron Judge faces heat for not trying to make throw to plate vs. Blue Jays

Playing right field for the first time since late July when he strained his flexor tendon while making a throw at Rogers Centre, Judge raised some eyebrows with a decision in the first inning Friday against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays. The Yankees captain didn’t try to gun down Daulton Varsho at the plate on a Nathan Lukes bloop single with two out.

Instead, Judge tossed it to second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr., giving Lukes a two-run single and the Blue Jays a 3-0 lead. Varsho was just getting to third base when Judge picked up the ball.

The toss was measured at 67.9 m.p.h. by MLB Statcast and Varsho slid in without a play.

Asked about the decision not to go home with the ball after the Yankees’ series-opening loss, Judge said: ”Just dropped the ball in. Throw it into the cutoff man. It’s a two-run single. What do you mean?”

Judge was then asked if he was capable of making the throw.

“I wouldn’t be in the outfield if I wasn’t able to make that throw,” he replied.

So why not go for the play at the plate?

”Get it in. Get it to the cutoff man. Let him do his thing,” he said.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone did not go into much detail when asked why Judge didn’t throw home.

“He’s in position to make the throw,” Boone said. “We’re handling it how we handle it.”

Judge allowed Bo Bichette’s fifth-inning popup to fall in front of him for a single as Chisholm peeled away.

“That’s just on me. I’ve got to take control there,” Judge said. “Jazz does such a good job of going back on balls like that. I assumed, and you can’t assume in that situation. As the outfielder, you’ve got to take control.”

A two-time AL MVP and seven-time All-Star, the 33-year-old Judge is known for a strong and accurate arm. He made a 100.5-m.p.h. throw to catch the Los Angeles Angels’ Kole Calhoun at the plate in May 2018.

Asked how close his arm was to 100 per cent, Judge said: ”I wouldn’t be out here if I wasn’t.”

The Blue Jays want Judge to prove it.

“There was a little bit of unknown with how he was going to respond,” Blue Jays manager John Schenider said. “We want him to test it.”

With the Yankees now four games behind the AL East-leading Blue Jays, the team certainly could use the best version of Judge.