Judge invited to HR Derby
NEW YORK — Yankees rookie sensation Aaron Judge has been invited to participate in next month’s Home Run Derby.
Judge said Tuesday that he received the invitation last week through his agent but had not yet decided whether to accept.
The 25-year-old outfielder, a towering presence at 6-foot-7, tops the major leagues with 24 home runs after connecting Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Angels. He is second in the American League with a .333 batting average and 54 RBIs.
“I’m going to think about it for a while,” Judge said. “Just haven’t honestly thought about. I’m more focused on what I can do for the team right now, and we’ll see what I decide to do.”
The derby will be held at Marlins Park in Miami on July 10. Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton is the defending champion after winning last year at San Diego’s Petco Park.
Judge hit the longest home run of the season, at 495 feet. Growing up, he had thought about what it would be like to swing in the slugger smash-athon.
New York manager Joe Girardi said he isn’t worried about Judge picking up bad habits in his swing because of the repeated exertions in the derby and extra batting practice before the event.
