Red Sox legend defends Aaron Judge, rips Yankees fans

Well this is different.

Boston Red Sox legend David Ortiz is coming to the defense of Aaron Judge, who was hearing boos during the New York Yankees’ playoff run in 2022.

Masslive.com reports the Hall-of-Fame slugger appeared this week on Julian Edelman’s podcast, “Games with Names.”

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The conversation turned to Judge when Ortiz relayed an encounter he recently had with a Yankees fan who was “talking (expletive) about my boy.”

“I was like, ‘Hey, have you ever taken a minute to picture the Yankees lineup without Aaron Judge next year?’ And the (expletive) stayed quiet for a minute. ... I told him, ‘You guys, as fans, need to understand that whoever takes that field wants to get things done.’ I never got booed at Fenway Park, and that’s why I ride and die with those fans. ... Aaron Judge, the minute he cools off, even during the regular season, he gets the biggest boos. Let me tell you, as an athlete, you will take that from the opposition when you go to their place. But when you get that (expletive) at home, bro, not good.”

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Despite the boo birds, Judge re-signed with the Yankees during the offseason, getting a record-setting nine-year, $360 million contract and the title of team captain. Judge is the reigning American League MVP after hitting an AL single-season record 62 home runs in 2022.

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Mike Rosenstein may be reached at mrosenstein@njadvancemedia.com.

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