Aaron Judge has transformed batting practice in the Bronx.
Balls thwack loudly as the New York Yankees' rookie drives them onto the top of the restaurant behind Monument Park. Because of the 6-foot-7 power hitter's high backswing, the grounds crew already has tightened the mesh above the batting cage to raise it. And a new piece is being fabricated to raise the top even higher.
"In the minor leagues, we just had to have somebody hold it," he said Sunday. "They've got some better things to make adjustments here."
Judge made his debut Aug, 13 and homered off Tampa Bay's Matt Andriese in his first at-bat, as did Tyler Austin, the previous batter — the first teammates to homer in their first career at-bats in the same game.