New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge watches his solo home run off Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Shane Baz during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
Aaron Judge has carried the Yankees through plenty of Opening Days, but Wednesday night in San Francisco was one of the rare times New York didn’t need him at all.
The two‑time reigning AL MVP went hitless on Opening Day for the first time in his career, striking out four times — something he hadn’t done since September 2024. Yet the Yankees still dominated the Giants 7–0 at Oracle Park, opening their season with a statement win built on depth rather than star power.
Judge’s night was rough from the start. He struck out swinging in the first inning, took a called third strike in the second, fouled into a strikeout in the fourth, and went down looking again in the sixth. He finished 0‑for‑5, grounding out in his final at‑bat. It was the kind of line that almost never appears next to his name.
But manager Aaron Boone wasn’t concerned — and he wasn’t complaining.
“It was kind of a little bit of everyone tonight being able to have a hand in it,” Boone said. “A night we didn’t hit the ball out of the ballpark but just a lot of good pressurized at‑bats. I think we can beat you a lot of different ways.”
Giants fans let Judge hear it
Judge, a California native who grew up in Linden and starred at Fresno State, was loudly booed before the game and during each plate appearance. Giants fans still remember the franchise’s aggressive pursuit of him during his 2022 free agency — a chase that ended with Judge choosing the Yankees’ nine‑year, $360 million offer instead.
The reception didn’t rattle him, but it certainly added to the atmosphere.
Yankees lineup steps up on a night their star didn’t
While Judge struggled, the rest of the Yankees’ order delivered exactly what Boone has been preaching all spring: pressure, patience, and production from multiple spots.
New York didn’t rely on the long ball, instead stringing together quality at‑bats and capitalizing on opportunities. It was the kind of balanced offensive performance the Yankees believe will make them more dangerous in 2026 — especially on nights when their MVP isn’t carrying the load.
A reminder of how high Judge’s bar is
Judge is coming off a season in which he hit a league‑best .331 with 53 home runs and 114 RBIs. Even on a night when he went 0‑for‑5 with four strikeouts, his presence still shaped the game — from the crowd reaction to the Giants’ pitching approach.
Opening Day wasn’t his night. But it didn’t need to be.
The Yankees left San Francisco with a shutout win, a deep lineup showing early signs of maturity, and the confidence that their superstar won’t stay quiet for long.
