Aaron Judge punishes Red Sox with massive grand slam after Yankees win rare challenge

A challenge ... worked for Aaron Boone and the New York Yankees? Is this an alternate universe? Are the 2023 Yankees now World Series contenders? Did the Boston Red Sox fire president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom?

Well, yes, that last bit is true. And the Yankees won a challenge on national television which pretty much feels like a playoff victory for this team. Back on the "finish 2023 on a high note" train!

On Thursday night, with two outs in the top of the second, DJ LeMahieu stepped up to the plate. The Yankees were one out away from blowing yet again another prime scoring opportunity with the bases loaded and one out. And for a moment there, it looked like they did.

LeMahieu dribbled one to second base and was called out on a close play when Pablo Reyes chucked it to first. But the Boone challenged it, the umpires overturned it, and the Yanks cut the deficit in half with their first run on the board. The bases were loaded again, and guess who came up next?

ALL RISE!

Aaron Judge punishes Red Sox with massive grand slam after Yankees win rare challenge

Aaron Judge sent a missile over the center field wall when Brennan Bernardino decided to throw an 89 MPH meatball over the heart of the plate on a 2-0 count. Just what the reigning MVP needed to break out of his slump! Yup, might be time to send Alex Cora to the front office.

This inning got started with an Estevan Florial single, an Oswald Peraza double, and an Oswaldo Cabrera walk. That's nice to hear, right? Fans were rightfully trashing the offense following the afternoon game, but five quick runs have shifted the conversation for moment. We'll take it.

Only time will tell how the Yankees eventually blow this one, but it's encouraging to at least inch closer to a series win at Fenway as these two disappointing teams duke it out for last place.

And even if they split, the Yankees are already better set up for 2024 after the Red Sox created more turmoil by dismissing Bloom, which will likely be the first domino to fall in the coming weeks.