SI

Aaron Judge Kisses Yankees Jersey After Homer Amid Free Agency Rumors

Could the slugger be back in pinstripes next year?

Nick Selbe

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As the Yankees continue pursuing their 28th World Series championship, the impending free agency of presumed American League MVP Aaron Judge looms large. With his critical home run in Tuesday’s Game 5 in front of a raucous home crowd, Yankees fans couldn’t help but notice how the star outfielder opted to celebrate once he made it back to the dugout.

Judge’s solo shot in the bottom of the second inning gave New York a 4–0 lead over the Guardians following Giancarlo Stanton’s three-run blast in the first. Once Judge crossed home plate and returned to the dugout, he looked toward the dugout and pulled the Yankees logo on his jersey up to his face to kiss it.

The move is common among soccer players after scoring goals, but on a day that could very well have been Judge’s final in a Yankees uniform, the response carried added weight. Judge has spent his entire seven-year MLB career in New York after the team drafted him in the first round in 2013.

He’s expected to fetch an immense contract from whichever team signs him this winter—though his actions in the moment had many Yankees fans hopeful that his true intention is to remain in pinstripes. Here are some social media reactions after Judge’s gesture.

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Nick Selbe
NICK SELBE

Nick Selbe is a programming editor at Sports Illustrated who frequently writes about baseball and college sports. Before joining SI in March 2020 as a breaking/trending news writer, he worked for MLB Advanced Media, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. Selbe received a bachelor's in communication from the University of Southern California.

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