Yankees take subtle shot at Cal Raleigh MVP case with well-timed Aaron Judge tweet

Aaron Judge doesn’t talk on his own behalf very often, but the New York Yankees seem more than happy to handle the bulk of the bragging.

With every game somehow a referendum on Judge’s MVP battle with Cal Raleigh of the Mariners, Thursday night’s action seemed to sway the voters closer to the Yankees icon after a wild Wednesday that included multi-home run games by both parties. Those double dingers helped Judge cross the 50 threshold, but pushed Raleigh past 60. In the minds of some eye-popped voters, that all but clinched it.

But, against all odds, the undercurrent of Judge support still remains strong. Iconic writer Jayson Stark sided with Judge, feeling like recent discussion of Raleigh’s historic season has undermined the reality that Judge is also having an historic season, over 100% better than your average batter. Again. Jeff Passan went on Pat McAfee’s show to note that the MLB players he has spoken to are almost universally in Judge’s corner.

And then there’s the matter of what’s left unsaid, expressed only by actions. If Raleigh is the one “carrying his team to the playoffs” and Judge is “in a loaded lineup that would be great without him,” then why is Judge the one setting an American League record for intentional walks?

Conveniently, after a 5-3, sweep-securing win over the White Sox in which Judge was intentionally walked twice more, the Yankees highlighted that record with a cheeky Judge GIF. Raleigh, whose first at-bat of Friday’s game started with a couldn’t-be-less-scared meatball, went 0-for-4.

Yankees make Aaron Judge MVP case clear with well-timed tweet

If you think this wasn’t aimed in a certain direction, you don’t know ball.

The tweet also served as a hilarious reminder that, while Judge may hold the AL record, he’s never getting to the all-time mark: a whopping 120 posted by Barry Bonds in 2004. In fact, he’d reached Judge’s total by the time June started. That feels a little like the “AL Home Run Record Chase” all over again, when Judge’s 62 paled in comparison to Bonds’ 73.

That record belongs to Judge for at least a few more days, but his intentional walk total should stand in second place all-time for quite a while. It’s one thing Raleigh can’t take away from him this weekend, at least.