TAMPA — The New York Yankees‘ dugout at George M. Steinbrenner Field is slanted on a rise from back to front, and Aaron Judge has learned by now not to rise quickly to his feet from the bench at the back. Just after 3 p.m. Monday, he put on his batting helmet, carefully took a crouched step forward and only then unfurled his full 6-foot-7 frame, the top of his helmet barely clearing the cement roof at the front of the dugout as he stepped out into the sunshine.
Moments later, Judge, 25, stepped into the cage for batting practice.