Aaron Judge Crushes Historic Homer to Spark Yankees’ Playoff Surge – Stats, Reactions & What’s Next

The Captain Comes Through: Aaron Judge’s Foul-Pole Blast Reignites Yankees’ 2025 Postseason NEW YORK — Under a bronze-tinted October sky at Yankee Stadium, Aaron Judge scripted another chapter of Bronx folklore, cannoning a three-run homer off the right-field foul pole to erase a five-run deficit and spark the Yankees’ 8-7 comeback over the Toronto Blue Jays in ALDS Game 3. The shot — measured at 114 mph off the bat and 358 feet in distance — flipped both the scoreboard and the narrative surrounding a franchise desperate to end a 16-year championship drought. Judge entered the night mired in a 2-for-18 skid, his bat questioned by critics who have long pointed to the club’s October struggles. One swing silenced them. As the ball clanged off the pole, 47,309 fans erupted, showering the Yankees’ captain with “M-V-P!” chants that echoed down River Avenue. Key takeaways for fans and fantasy players • Postseason pulse: Judge now owns 17 playoff home runs, tying Reggie Jackson for third on the all-time Yankee list. • Contract value: Three years into his nine-year, $360 million deal, Judge is delivering a 5.9 WAR season and postseason heroics that make the record contract look like a bargain. • Momentum shift: New York trails the best-of-five series 2-1, but with Gerrit Cole lined up for Game 4, the mood in the clubhouse has pivoted from resignation to resolve. Game-changing micro-adjustment After fouling off a 96 mph fastball from Toronto reliever Jordan Romano, Judge made a subtle tweak, choking up slightly to shorten his path to the ball. The very next pitch — a slider that leaked inside — met a compact, lightning-quick swing usually reserved for highlight reels. Judge said later, “I was just trying to keep the line moving. Saw it up, put a good swing on it, and luckily the pole was there.” Blue Jays reaction Toronto skipper John Schneider acknowledged the blow: “That’s why he’s Aaron Judge. You miss by two inches, and he doesn’t.” The Blue Jays bullpen, whose 2.91 ERA ranked second in the AL during the regular season, suddenly looks vulnerable heading into the back-to-back elimination scenarios in the Bronx. Historical context Judge’s homer is the third postseason blast in franchise history to strike the right-field foul pole, joining iconic shots by Chris Chambliss (1976) and Bernie Williams (1996). If the Yankees complete the comeback, Judge’s name will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with those October legends. What’s next • Game 4: Thursday, 7:07 p.m. ET, Yankee Stadium • Probables: RHP Gerrit Cole (18-5, 2.88 ERA) vs. LHP Yusei Kikuchi (11-9, 3.76 ERA) • X-factor: Judge faces Kikuchi for the eighth time this year; he’s 6-for-20 with two homers and a 1.072 OPS against the left-hander. SEO spotlight keywords: Aaron Judge home run, Yankees comeback, ALDS Game 3, 2025 MLB playoffs, Yankees vs Blue Jays, Judge contract, postseason heroics, Yankee Stadium October, Gerrit Cole Game 4.