Aaron Judge’s incredible catch during the highly anticipated series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees at Dodger Stadium left fans in awe.
However, the highlight-reel play came at a cost for Judge, as he suffered an injury during the collision with the outfield fence.
The moment occurred when Aaron Judge robbed J.D. Martinez of a potential hit with a spectacular running catch in deep right field.. The force of the impact carried Judge into the bullpen gate, causing it to burst open.
AARON JUDGE MAKES THE CATCH AND ALMOST TAKES THE DOOR WITH HIM pic.twitter.com/EBfdNI8zx4
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) June 4, 2023
Ultimately, Judge landed on the 10-day injured list with a bruise and strain of a ligament in his right big toe, underscoring the severity of the impact.
In response to the incident, Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten announced plans to reinforce the Dodger Stadium fence. The team will add a strip of padding on the concrete portion where Judge injured his toe.
Kasten expressed his surprise at the strength of Judge’s collision and highlighted the need for increased safety measures.
“He didn’t go through the door, which is what I thought when I was watching the game,” he said. “Then I got out there and realized the door doesn’t open in that direction.
“He actually broke through where some of the panels were joined, the barrier between the two connecting panels. Which is unbelievable. But we’re going to strengthen that and add a strip of padding on the bottom as well.”
Kasten further explained that the Dodgers would also be adding padding to the concrete curb in front of the home bullpen in left field. These two areas were identified as requiring additional protection, while the rest of the Dodger Stadium fence was deemed to be in good condition.
Following the game, Aaron Judge initially believed he had avoided a significant injury due to the fence’s flexibility. He acknowledged that the specific section of the wall where he made the catch had some give, which likely mitigated the impact.
“I think the fence got most of it. Thankfully, it was that part of the wall where there’s some give, so I think that saved my quite a bit. If it was a solid wall, I think we might be saying a different story. But made the play and we got out of the inning,” he said.
At the end of the day, Judge avoided a serious injury.. But hopefully this causes other organizations to take a closer look at their fences and walls to determine if they’re in need of a safety upgrade.