Aaron Judge trolled Drew Rasmussen from the Yankees dugout
Injured Yankees captain Aaron Judge trolled Rays starter Drew Rasmussen from the dugout during Thursday's series finale at Tropicana Field, mimicking a manager's pitching-change signal as New York chased him with six runs in 2⅓ innings. The viral clip fueled AL East trash-talk debate even though Judge has not played in over a month.
Key Takeaways
- Judge mocked Rasmussen with a bullpen-call gesture from the Yankees dugout during a third-inning rout.
- New York erupted for 12 runs and 14 hits, tagging Rasmussen for six runs and seven hits in 2⅓ innings.
- Rays fans criticized an injured captain celebrating a game he did not play, citing Judge's career struggles against Rasmussen.
- Yanks Go Yard dismissed the backlash, calling the gesture fair gamesmanship as New York tried to cut Tampa Bay's AL East lead.
- Judge has trolled opponents before, including blasting music outside Boston's clubhouse during the 2018 ALDS.
What Did Aaron Judge Do From the Yankees Dugout?
With the Yankees chasing a pivotal split of their four-game set at Tropicana Field, Thursday's offense finally broke loose. According to Yahoo Sports, New York scored 12 runs on 14 hits in the series finale, doing most of its damage against Rasmussen.
All six runs charged to the Rays starter came in the third inning. As Tampa Bay moved to pull him, Judge was caught on camera from the visiting dugout making the same arm motion managers use to call for a reliever. ClutchPoints reported that the clip spread quickly on X after Talkin' Baseball shared it.
Why Did Rays Fans Push Back on Judge's Gesture?
Yahoo Sports noted that Tampa Bay supporters were not amused. Judge has been sidelined for more than a month and, by his own career numbers, has struggled against Rasmussen with a .347 OPS. The Yankees had also fallen behind the Rays in the standings, which critics said made the bench celebration feel tone deaf.
Yanks Go Yard pushed back on that backlash, arguing the gesture was fair gamesmanship after Rasmussen had long dominated New York across nearly 60 career innings. The site framed the moment as the Yankees finally toughening up and sending their rivals to the showers emphatically.
Was the Yankees Blowout Bigger Than the Bench Moment?
ClutchPoints emphasized the standings stakes entering the game. New York entered five games behind Tampa Bay for the AL East lead, and a win would trim that gap to four ahead of the All-Star break. Six different Yankees collected an RBI before Rasmussen departed, including a two-run homer from Ben Rice.
Judge is typically reserved, but Yahoo Sports recalled his history of needling rivals, including playing "New York, New York" outside the Red Sox clubhouse during the 2018 ALDS. For more trending stories crossing sports and social spectacle, browse Future Tech & AI Wonders on BlasterPost.
Does Judge's Troll Change the AL East Narrative?
The viral clip drew as much attention as the offense despite Judge not taking the field. Yanks Go Yard argued critics had grown soft, treating a mocking gesture on a pitcher's exit as poor sportsmanship. With New York trying to trim Tampa Bay's division lead, Judge's dugout signal became the talking point from a rare Yankees rout.