Aaron Judge has all kinds of teammates who know how to contribute to New York Yankees wins, and one of them has stepped into a bigger role this year, steadily earning his spot on the roster thanks to his home run production.
While Judge leads the Yankees in home runs, it’s worth noting that another teammate, with 21 homers this season, has been one of the players saving the team in big moments — and the numbers back it up.
Nine Yankees have reached double digits in home runs this season, and that’s where the stat really stands out. This particular Judge teammate ranks second on the team in homers, and while his batting average isn’t stellar, his production has consistently helped the Bombers tie games or take the lead against opponents.
Who is Judge’s teammate making noise?
According to Katie Sharp of Stats Head, the player is Trent Grisham, who with 21 homers has become a key factor in helping the Yankees tie or add runs in crucial situations — without challenging Judge’s overall home run lead.
“Trent Grisham: 16 of his 21 HR (76%) have either tied the game or given his team the lead,” Sharp reported of Grisham’s moonshot stats this year. “That’s the highest percentage among all players with 10+ HR this season.”
It’s worth remembering that Grisham didn’t have nearly as impactful a role last MLB season, as the team prioritized stars like Juan Soto. But so far this year, Trent has proven to be one of the Yankees’ most reliable bats in big moments.