The New York Yankees cruised to a 4-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays in Florida on Sunday, April 20. But despite the victory, star slugger Aaron Judge and manager Aaron Boone walked away frustrated—thanks to a controversial foul ball call. In the top of the eighth inning, with the Yankees leading 3-0, Judge launched a deep shot to left field that looked like a home run. However, the third base umpire ruled it foul.
The Yankees challenged the call, but after review, the original ruling stood. Judge was clearly displeased after the game, telling reporters, “It was a fair ball. That’s the whole point of replay. The umpires have a tough job, especially in a park like this where the foul poles are shorter. But with all the replay angles, that was a fair ball.”
Due to damage from Hurricane Milton, the Rays are currently playing their home games at Steinbrenner Field—typically a spring training facility with smaller dimensions. The setting may have played a role in the controversial call, as the limited stadium setup made it more difficult to determine the ball’s trajectory.
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After the call was upheld, Judge struck out on the very next pitch. Boone, visibly upset, stormed the field and exchanged words with both the third base and home plate umpires. He was ejected shortly after. “It’s unbelievable that the call stood,” Boone said postgame. “It was a high shot, sure, but that’s what replay is for. I guess they didn’t see enough to overturn it.”
Had the play been ruled a home run, it would’ve been Judge’s eighth of the season. Instead, he remains at seven through 22 games. He ended the day 1-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts.
Despite the controversy, the Yankees came out on top, improving their record with a solid win behind strong pitching and timely offense.
