Blue Jays’ Taunt Ignites Aaron Judge’s Revenge Firestorm in Desperate Yankees Comeback!

New York/Toronto – The Rogers Centre didn’t just see baseballs fly this weekend; it witnessed a verbal grenade that has the New York Yankees captain and his squad primed for a ferocious retaliation. After Vladimir Guerrero Jr. crushed Yankees pitching in back-to-back blowouts, Toronto infielder Ernie Clement dropped a bombshell, igniting a rivalry that’s now personal.

“He’s the best hitter in the world I believe,” Clement boasted after the Blue Jays’ 13-7 Game 2 romp on Sunday, elevating Guerrero above Aaron Judge, the Yankees’ MVP contender. For Judge, chasing his third AL MVP since 2022, those words stung deep in the Bronx.

A Taunt That Might Backfire

The Blue Jays now lead the best-of-five ALDS 2-0, outscoring the Yankees 23-8 across two games. Guerrero’s 6-for-9, with two homers and six RBIs, fueled the dominance. Yet, Clement’s remark may have lit a fire under Judge ahead of Tuesday’s do-or-die Game 3 at Yankee Stadium. “When we get back to New York, we gotta be the ones to score first and kind of put the pressure on them,” Judge declared post-Game 2, his tone dripping with resolve.

October 8, 2017
Aaron Judge robs Francisco Lindor (and @zack_hample) of a homer in Game 3 of the ALDS pic.twitter.com/bnmuDcNiEI

— NY Yankees Throwbacks (@yankeethrowback) December 20, 2020

From Friendly Rivalry to Personal Vendetta

Former Yankees infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa, now with Toronto, knows both sluggers well. “Judge wants to be the best, Vladi wants to be the best,” Kiner-Falefa noted. “At the end of the day, it’s a friendly competition between those big stars.” But Clement’s jab has shifted the vibe. “This weekend was a big opportunity for Vladi to show off for the fan base, and he was able to have huge hits,” Kiner-Falefa added. “I think that was a great thing for us to get him going.”

The Yankees have dodged Guerrero all season, walking him 17 times in 15 matchups, including playoffs. Blue Jays manager John Schneider admitted caution with Judge, who saw just five of 23 pitches in the strike zone Sunday. “We don’t want to give them any ammo,” Kiner-Falefa said. “They’ve got Mr. Judge.”

Stats Tell a Tale

Judge’s ALDS line reads 4-for-7 with a double, two walks, and one RBI, though the Yankees trail by 15 runs combined. His postseason batting average was .205 with 16 homers pre-2025; now it’s .444 in five games, yet no homers. Guerrero’s turnaround from 3-for-22 to 6-for-9 with two homers and six RBIs has Toronto one win from the ALCS.

History Fuels Hope

Judge led a 2017 comeback from 0-2 against Cleveland. “We came back home, had another tough Game 3, little pitching duel, but came out on the other side,” he recalled. Last week, they flipped a Wild Card loss to Boston. “We’ve been doing it all year long,” Judge said. “We’ve had our backs against the wall, we’ve been in some tough spots.”

Game 3 Showdown

Carlos Rodón starts for the Yankees against Shane Bieber. They must tame Trey Yesavage (11 Ks, 5.1 no-hit innings) and awaken their bats (8 runs in two games). Guerrero warns, “It is not over. Until you win the third game, we’ve got to keep working hard to get that third win.” But Clement’s taunt has Judge and the Yankees swinging for revenge.

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