Aaron Judge and the Yankees Fed Up With the Way the Orioles Are Pitching

Judge was hit in the hand on Tuesday night.

Jun 18, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees center fielder Aaron Judge (99) is hit by a pitch during the third inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Aaron Judge was hit by a pitch during New York's 4-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night. Luckily for Judge and the New York Yankees, X-rays were negative and he was spared the fate that sidelined Mookie Betts for 6-8 weeks when he was hit by a pitch two days earlier. Now that he's been cleared, Judge wants to get back on the field immediately, but the Yankees aren't so sure.

Judge was "pissed" about the Orioles throwing up and in and he's not alone in the clubhouse. The Yankees don't like it either, which is why they may want to hold Judge out of the lineup until the Orioles leave town in two days. According to Jon Heyman, they "see issue with O's pitching style."

Word is Judge wants to play tonight (but Yanks may still play it cautiously). A real dislike is brewing here. Yankees people see issue with O’s pitching style. https://t.co/HvaEaJR8zC

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) June 19, 2024

The thing is, that might just be how the Orioles are pitching Judge. The Baltimore staff has only hit 24 total batters this season which is tied for the fourth-fewest in baseball. Meanwhile, the Yankees have hit 40 batters, the third-most of any team this season.

This is probably just a case of two of the best teams in baseball being in the same division and just kind of being annoyed with each other. New York currently has the best record in baseball and a 2.5 game lead over Baltimore in the AL East. The Orioles currently have the third-best record in baseball. Even if Judge hadn't had a scare, there'd be some other reason tensions were rising along with the heat index.

Should the Yankees hold him out to protect him from the dastardly O's pitching staff, the teams will meet again in their final series before the All-Star break in July. After that the teams don't play again until late September. Then if everything goes right, in the postseason, where Judge will have no choice but to face the Yankees greatest fear - a high quality pitching staff not afraid to throw inside.