Aaron Judge and the Yankees will appear at their arbitration hearing this Friday to determine the three-time All-Star player’s salary for this season.
Regardless of the panel’s ruling, the public in the Bronx already has a verdict.
Judge will be worth every penny he charges.
The slugger had an RBI single, and New York scored four times in the ninth inning to beat the Houston Astros 7-6 Thursday night.
Aaron Hicks tied the score in that electrifying ninth inning with a three-run homer off closer Ryan Pressly.
With two outs off Ryan Stanek, Judge singled down a line drive to left field for José Treviño to score from second. It was the Yankees’ ninth walk-off in 70 games this season — the most since 1943.
It seemed unlikely, given that the Yankees had only had two hits before the ninth inning.
“At the exit to the cave, there’s a sign that says, ‘Do your job,’” Judge said. “And that’s what I try to do in every situation.”
About the hearing, Judge smiled and said, “We’ll talk later.”
New York won the first game of an anticipated four-game series between the two best teams in the American League. He won for the 19th time in 22 games and improved to 52-18 — the third-best start in 70 major league games since 1930.
New York also extended its home winning streak to 15, the team’s longest since 1961.
The victory went to the Dominican Miguel Castro (4-0).
For the Astros, the Venezuelan José Altuve 4-3 with two runs scored. Cubans Yordan Álvarez 5-2 with a run scored and three RBIs and Yuli Gurriel 4-1. Honduran Mauricio Dubón 3-0. Puerto Rican Martin Maldonado 4-0.
For the Yankees, Venezuelan Gleyber Torres 3-0 with a run scored.