Spring Premium Live and Catalog Auction 2018 Closing May 5
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/6/2018
Just when the Yankees were thought to be headed into a pennant drought, along came Aaron Judge. The 24-year-old rookie burst upon the American League like a later-day Mickey Mantle, leading a down and out Yankee club to the post season and setting the record for Rookie season home runs with 56. In the ALDS New York faced Cleveland, who was coming off their American League record setting 22-game winning streak.
Using this Chandler Model AJ99.2 bat, Judge deposited home run number 44 of the 2017 season during the first inning of the Yankees 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium on September 18th. Judge’s first-inning blast to right field came off Ervin Santana and the big righty continued his chase of the all-time rookie record. Judge also used this Chandler bat during Game 2 of the ALDS against the Cleveland Indians. The game was a seesaw affair, remaining tied into the 8th inning when Judge came to bat against Joe Smith. With a swing of this bat, Judge cracked the handle, sending the ball to third baseman Erik Gonzalez who threw to Carlos Santana for the out. Judge and the Yankees would erase an 0-2 series deficit and upset the Indians to advance to the ALCS, losing a hard-fought seven game series to the eventual World Champions Houston Astros.
This offered bat has the aforementioned handle crack and displays tremendous game use. The barrel is covered with ball marks with stitch impressions and white leather ball scuffs, some of which are from home runs that earned Judge the all-time rookie home run record. The bat has a heavy coat of pine tar on the handle and abrasion marks from contact with the ground and other bats. Judge has signed the barrel in silver adding “RoY 2017 Game Used Rookie Home Run Record.” A bat that looks every inch the one used to create a new baseball record. This bat comes with an MLB hologram (JC354576) for the game use, dating this bat to Game 2 of the ALDS on October 6th. There is also a LOA from PSA/DNA, who have photo matched this bat to the September 18th game in which Judge clubbed his 44th home run of the season and an additional LOA from Resolution Photomatching, who have also photo matched this bat to the September 18th game. Also included is a LOA from Anderson Authenticates (2895), which authenticates the use of the bat by Judge and his signature.