"It's my boy with the Rays, he is nasty" - When Aaron Judge disclosed to Mookie Betts about the pitcher he dreads facing

Aaron Judge has been on a tear this season and not many pitchers in the league could say they like facing him. However, if one asks his favorite pitcher, whom he likes to go deep against every time, he won't let the name out, but he was okay with sharing the name of someone he doesn't want to face. The list would surely be short, as it's hard to think of a pitcher with the number of two-time MVPs.

In June 2023, Judge was on Mookie Betts's "On Base" podcast, discussing his favorite and least favorite pitchers. The outfielder didn't reveal his favorite but mentioned one pitcher he dislikes facing: LA Dodgers ace Tyler Glasnow, then with the Tampa Bay Rays.

“It’s my boy with the Rays — Tyler Glasnow, man, he is nasty,” Judge told Betts. “I think we scored like, what, one or two on him? I mean, he's just good.”

Aaron Judge revealed that he was a teammate of Glasnow in the Fall League.

“I played with him in the Fall League, saw him in Pittsburgh, and then once he got to the Rays and really started figuring things out, man," Judge said.

Judge also noted what makes Glasnow a real deal against him.

“He’s as tall as me, and it feels like he’s just dropping the ball off into the catcher’s glove,” Judge said.

He also praised Glasnow’s curveball and emerging cutter-slider mix.

How has Aaron Judge fared against Tyler Glasnow?

Aaron Judge and Tyler Glasnow have been against each other in seven games. The right-hander has allowed four hits and three walks and has recorded six strikeouts.

Now that Glasnow has changed his location to the LA Dodgers, signing a five-year, $136.2 million deal ahead of the 2024 season, the two no longer face each other regularly as they did when Glasnow was part of the AL East rivalry, playing for the Rays.

After five starts, Glasnow is back on the injured list due to shoulder inflammation. He is the eighth starting pitcher on the injured list along with fellow ace Blake Snell. Before heading to IL, Glasnow posted a 4.50 ERA and went 1-0 along with 23 strikeouts against 11 walks.

About the author

Krutik Jain is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. It was in 2018 when the baseball bug bit Krutik, and already a cricket fan, he credits baseball's rules and Clayton Kershaw's pitching to have hooked him to the game.

A Kershaw and Mookie Betts fan, Krutik rates his favorite team LA Dodgers triumphing over Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series as his best baseball moment so far. His answer to the perennial "one player from the past you could meet" question is Jackie Robinson. Despite never having seen him play, Robinson's impact, legacy and trail-blazing journey have left an indelible impact on Krutik.

A rigorous fact-checker, Krutik likes reporting on the technical aspects of the game as well as off-field elements. When not watching baseball, Krutik is busy playing cricket, staying up to date with the happenings around the world and hiking.

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Edited by William Paul