The Yankees’ strong opening to the Target Field series took a tense turn Wednesday when Aaron Judge left the game in the sixth inning, and New York eventually absorbed a 5-4 loss to the Twins in 13 innings.
Key takeaways
- Judge was removed because of tightness in his lower right leg.
- New York had won the first two games of the series comfortably before Wednesday’s extra-inning defeat.
- The Yankees slugger struck out twice against Minnesota starter Zebby Matthews.
- Heliot Ramos batted in Judge’s place and struck out in the sixth.
- Matthews worked six scoreless innings while recording eight strikeouts.
Judge’s exit changes the feel of the afternoon
Judge had given the Yankees an encouraging sign earlier in the series, going deep Monday for his first home run since he returned from the injured list on Sept. 8. After taking Tuesday off as a planned breather following six consecutive games in the lineup, he was back against the Twins on Wednesday.
But Judge did not solve Matthews, striking out in each of his first two trips to the plate. During one of those swings, video appeared to show him reacting with discomfort.
When the sixth inning arrived, the Yankees sent Ramos up to hit for Judge. Ramos also went down on strikes against Matthews, who kept New York off the board through six innings.
A 13-inning loss after a fast series start
New York had controlled the first two games in Minneapolis, including Judge’s Monday homer, but Wednesday became a long and costly finish. The Twins pulled out the 5-4 decision in the 13th inning, leaving Judge’s lower-leg issue as the larger concern coming out of the game.
The Yankees announced after Judge’s removal that lower right leg tightness prompted the move. With the club already managing his workload by sitting him Tuesday, the pinch-hit substitution was a reminder that even a routine series can change quickly when the middle of the order is involved.
SEO Title: Aaron Judge Exits Yankees’ 13-Inning Loss With Right Leg Tightness
SEO Description: Aaron Judge was lifted in the sixth inning with lower right leg tightness as the Yankees fell 5-4 to the Twins in 13 innings at Target Field.
