Michael King sends clear message on facing Aaron Judge and former teammates

Before the Yankees vs. Padres game on Tuesday, pitcher Michael King spoke to the media about what it was like to face Aaron Judge and his former teammates. While it was emotional for King to return to his former home, he’s focused on the present.

In the video posted on X by Yes Network, King shared his thoughts on facing former captain Aaron Judge. Sharing that it was weird to scout against his former teammates, Michael King said:

"I've seen Judge swing a lot but never once tried to get him out, so it'll be a very hard challenge but it was fun time scouting him and trying to see the swings in different ways that I'm normally used to."

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Before being traded to the Padres, Michael King spoke highly of Judge, saying he’s “unlike anybody” the pitcher has ever played with. He recalled the time he joined the Yankees and how Judge’s welcome stood out to him.

“I remember I got called up in 2019 and didn’t really know anybody. He came up to me in the trainers’ room and said, ‘About damn time you’re here, Kinger!’ It made me feel so good about myself. I absolutely love that about him,” Michael King on Aaron Judge back in 2023.

King’s former teammate Clarke Schmidt noted that it was easier to play with the Padres pitcher than play against him. He wished that maybe in the future they could reunite and have a chance to play together again.

Aaron Judge launches a solo HR against Michael King

Tuesday’s game at Yankee Stadium seemed electric as former teammates faced off each other. The game ended with the pinstripes celebrating their 4-3 win over the San Diego Padres.

In the fourth inning, Judge blasted off a homer vs. former teammate Michael King, adding it to his 12th HR of the season. With this, he tied Cal Raleigh and Kyle Schwarber’s record for the most home runs in MLB this season.

About the author

Kaushani Chatterjee is a baseball journalist at Sportskeeda with a Master's in English and over 4 years of experience at publications such as FirstSportz.

Kaushani 's favorite teams are the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers. She is a fan of Yankees as a group, their star power and their history oozes class. As for the Dodgers, Kaushani likes Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman.

She started watching the MLB during her school years and developed a keen interest in the sport. Now she is hooked.

Kaushani's hobbies include guitar, sketching, watching anime (tons of them), listening to music, and watching Asian dramas (Korean/Thai in general).

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Edited by Ruth John S