The Yankees cruised to a 4–0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday, but the storyline that stuck wasn’t Max Fried’s dominance or the trio of home runs that carried the offense—it was a missed call that stole a piece of history from Aaron Judge.
In a game that was already leaning heavily in the Yankees’ favor, the top of the eighth inning turned controversial. And at the center of it, of course, was the Captain.
Judge’s No-Doubter Gets Wiped Off the Board
Aaron Judge stepped to the plate and did what he’s done better than anyone else in baseball this season—he crushed a baseball. This wasn’t a wall-scraper or a close call. Judge absolutely laced a ball down the left field line, and from the moment it left the bat, it had the sound and flight path of a no-doubt home run.
This potential home run by Aaron Judge was called a foul ball after review.
Fair or foul?#Yankees pic.twitter.com/NmSesSBxKl
— Fireside Yankees (@FiresideYankees) April 20, 2025
The ball landed beyond the fence in the trees, but the issue was the stadium’s foul pole—minor league regulation, short and not exactly built to handle an MVP’s power. Umpires couldn’t confirm whether the ball passed inside or outside the pole on the way out, so they ruled it foul.
Replay told a different story.
The broadcast and video angles clearly showed the ball flying just inside the pole, but despite the visual evidence, the umps stood by the original call. One of the league’s best hitters, in the middle of a potentially historic campaign, was robbed of his eighth home run of the season.
“It was a fair ball,” Judge said. “But that’s why we’ve got replay. It’s not on the umpires; it’s tough when you’re in a situation like this in a Minor League park where the foul poles aren’t as high, so that’s why you have replay. They have every angle.
Judge then struck out looking on a borderline slider on the next pitch, and manager Aaron Boone had seen enough. Boone erupted on the home plate umpire and was quickly ejected for defending his star player.
Still the Best Player in Baseball
Even with the blown call, Judge continues to put together a season that looks like it was drawn up in a video game. He’s slashing .390/.495/.707 with a 1.202 OPS, seven home runs, and absolutely blistering the ball every time he makes contact.
Had that home run stood, we’d be talking about an eighth blast and another step closer to chasing his own single-season record of 62. In 2022, every home run mattered—and there’s no reason to believe 2025 won’t carry similar stakes.
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A Bigger Problem Than Just One Call
This wasn’t just a missed opportunity—it was a glaring example of how outdated infrastructure (thanks to the Rays’ horrible home stadium being blown down) and human error can steal something meaningful in a league where every stat, milestone, and swing matters.
Judge, stoic as always, took it in stride. Boone, however, made sure to voice what the fans were already screaming: You can’t blow a call like that on the best hitter in the sport.
It didn’t impact the final result, thankfully. But in a different game, on a different day, this could’ve changed everything. And for a player chasing greatness, every at-bat counts.