Judge slams Red Sox rookie with subtle response originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Aaron Judge had two responses to Red Sox rookie Hunter Dobbins’ silly comments about never wanting to play for the New York Yankees.
The first was loud, crushing a home run off Dobbins 436 feet in his first at-bat.
Then Judge reminded Dobbins that he has a long way to go before anyone cares what he thinks about playing in New York.
Judge said he only heard about Dobbins’ remarks shortly before a game when ESPN analyst Eduardo Perez brought it up.
“I really didn’t hear about it until, I think, Eduardo Perez told me before the game, but I’ve only heard Ken Griffey Jr. say that. So, I’m a little surprised by that,” Judge told reporters.
Griffey is a Hall of Famer; he can say what he wants. Dobbins is a promising young pitcher for the Boston Red Sox who needs to remember his place.
Dobbins told the Boston Herald, “If the Yankees were the last team to give me a contract, I’d retire.”
Jazz Chisholm, Jr. picked up on the comments before the game and called for more of that kind of trash talk in the game.
But Judge is old school, and it obviously rubbed him the wrong way.
When asked whether Dobbins’ comments were in his mind when he crushed a home run off him in his first at-bat, Judge didn’t hesitate.
“Well, yeah, when somebody tells you, yeah,” Judge replied with a smile, clearly fueled by the moment.
Despite Judge’s big moment, Dobbins earned the win for the Red Sox, showing poise on the mound even as the verbal back-and-forth played out.
The Yankees-Red Sox rivalry had gotten a little stale in recent years. Dobbing comments might have been ill-advised, especially in the eyes of his agent, but they added some spice to the series.
Judge’s response on and off the field sent a clear message: words only matter if you can back them up on the field.
Related: Yankees Jazz Chisholm Jr. Delivers Classic Bronx Response to Red Sox Rookie
Related: Insider Reveals Yankees’ $90 Million Veteran Clock Is Ticking Toward Deadline Looming
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.