Yankees’ Aaron Judge downplays any Hall of Fame talk

PITTSBURGH — Aaron Judge hearing Hall of Fame talk isn’t anything new.

Discussions of the outfielder being on that kind of career trajectory first percolated during his American League record-setting 62-homer season in 2022 and again last season, when he hit 58 home runs en route to winning his second MVP.

After Judge homered Friday in career game No. 1,000 to give him six in seven games this season, manager Aaron Boone said it’s a “no-brainer” that he is a Hall of Famer. Not surprisingly, that sentiment was endorsed in the clubhouse.

“He’s the GOAT. He’s the best. He’s one of the best players ever,” third baseman Oswaldo Cabrera said. “And not just because of the player [he is], he’s one of the best people. He deserves everything that happens to him.”

The numbers speak for themselves.

Entering Saturday, Judge had hit 321 home runs in 1,000 career games, the most homers through a player’s first 1,000  games in MLB history (Ryan Howard held the previous record with 279 homers).

Judge’s 321 homers match Babe Ruth for the most home runs in a player’s first 1,000 games played with the Yankees. Alex Rodriguez (259) is next on the list.

Since RBIs became an official statistic in 1920, Judge became the first big-leaguer to hit at least six homers and record at least 17 RBIs through his club’s first seven games of a season.

And on it goes.

Judge, like the previous Yankees captain, Derek Jeter, is hearing Hall of Fame talk in his early 30s. And Judge, very much like Jeter, isn’t much interested in exploring the topic. He batted it away on Friday —  politely, of course.

“That’s great praise, but I live in the present,” Judge said with a smile. “We’ve got things to do, a lot of work to do. So we’ll talk about that in a couple years.”

Spoiler alert: It is unlikely that in a couple of years, Judge will be any more willing to publicly shed light on his feelings regarding Cooperstown. Since debuting in August 2016 — when he homered in his first career at-bat — Judge has consistently been unimpressed with his accomplishments,

“I always say, try to stay present, try to not think about the future,” Cabrera said of Judge and the Hall of Fame. “But thinking about Judgie, yes.” 

Bellinger feeling better

Cody Bellinger, held out of Friday’s lineup after his lower back acted up during Thursday night’s game against Arizona at the Stadium, again was not in the lineup Saturday, though he said before the game that playing Sunday “absolutely” is a possibility.

“I hit today [in the cage] and it felt really good,” Bellinger said. “It responded well.”

Bellinger said back stiffness is something he has dealt with previously in his career and that it typically doesn’t cost him any more than “a few days.”

Schmidt commences rehab

Righthander Clarke Schmidt, who started the season on the injured list with rotator cuff tendinitis, began a rehab assignment Saturday afternoon with Double-A Somerset at Hartford and allowed one hit and one walk in 3 1/3 scoreless innings in which he struck out seven. Boone reiterated Saturday that Schmidt, who pitched well last season (5-5 with a 2.85 ERA in 16 games) but missed three months with a right lat strain, is expected to need only two rehab outings before returning to the rotation.

More bad news for Effross

Righthander Scott Effross, limited to  16 games with the Yankees because of an assortment of injuries since he was obtained at the 2022 trade deadline,  recently suffered a setback during his rehab from a Grade 2 left hamstring strain suffered Feb. 25. Boone said Saturday that it shouldn’t stop Effross from throwing but that the medical staff is “reworking” the reliever’s rehab. “I don’t think it was so bad that it was like a shutdown situation,” Boone said.