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Aaron Judge explains kissing Yankees logo after Game 5 home run

Adam Weinrib|
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 18: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees celebrates in the clubhouse after defeating the Cleveland Guardians in game five of the American League Division Series at Yankee Stadium on October 18, 2022 in New York, New York. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 18: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees celebrates in the clubhouse after defeating the Cleveland Guardians in game five of the American League Division Series at Yankee Stadium on October 18, 2022 in New York, New York. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

From the superstar slugger who brought you not one, but two “New York or Nowhere” sweatshirts down the Yankees’ stretch, it’s … a celebration unlike any other that people are definitely going to heavily read into!

When Aaron Judge cranked a cathartic game-tying home run in Game 3 in Cleveland, the blast somehow didn’t set the Yankees, or the player, on a winning path; the team blew that game with one strike to go until victory, and Judge continued to scuffle in Game 4.

Facing elimination at home on Tuesday night, the free agent to be finally hit a trademark blast that led directly to a win, lifting a curveball into the right field seats to extend the Yankees’ lead to 4-0. They ultimately held on to take the game 5-1, as well as the series.

When Judge got back to the dugout after that second-inning shot, he found the dugout camera (as he often does) and gave it a good spike like Jim from “The Office” while he bunched up the Yankee logo on his jersey and … kissed it.

If this isn’t a signal he’d prefer to come back, then literally what is?

Aaron Judge kisses Yankees logo after home run: Is that good?

After Judge missed a similar curve in the first inning against Aaron Civale, this one felt good. And after watching the celebration, this one felt … great.

Thankfully, the Yankees held on, giving the media a chance to ask Judge about the kiss in the postgame scrum instead of admonish him for throwing off the game’s mojo.

Per Judge, he’s been watching a lot of Premier League football, and took a cue from the way England’s soccer stars celebrate their goals.

Hmm? Really? Been watching … been watching a lot of Premier League, huh? You and Hal Steinbrenner watching some early morning soccer while hammering out the finer points of your contract extension, yeah? Cool, cool, pretty cool.

Judge and the Yankees are intrinsically connected. If he ends up somewhere else this offseason, it’s because New York’s front office came up woefully short and he chased the money after Brian Cashman let him down tremendously.

Say what you will about his hometown Giants and the on-rushing Dodgers, but it’s obvious Judge has a lot of love for this franchise and its history. Would be nice to spice up the offseason conversation with a trophy, too, wouldn’t it?

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