Aaron Judge Makes Choice For 'Best Pitcher In The Game'

New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge is having a monster year and is in the running for the American League MVP award.

Judge has a .332 batting average with 44 home runs, 111 RBI, and 96 runs scored. He sits second in the MLB in average, sixth in hits, and first in home runs, RBI, and slugging percentage.

On Sunday, Judge and the Yankees fell to the Detroit Tigers, 3-2, in extra innings in a tough loss. After the game, Judge revealed his choice for the best pitcher in the game right now and picked Tigers hurler Tarik Skubal (h/t Jon Morosi of  MLB Network).

“He’s the best pitcher in the game right now," Judge said. "When he came back last year at the end of the year, he hit a different gear, a different level. It’s not fun facing a guy like that, but it’s fun competing against the best.”

That is a strong endorsement for Skubal, who has been a big boost for the Tigers this season.

On Sunday, he went six innings, giving up just one run on three hits with five strikeouts to lower his ERA to 2.49 on the year.

He has a 14-4 record with a 0.92 WHIP and 180 strikeouts as he has posted career-highs across the board.

Skubal underwent surgery and was out for 11 months before returning in July 2023. He wound up finishing that season with a 7-3 record and a 2.80 ERA in 15 starts, so he has picked up where he left off.

Skubal was a popular name floated around ahead of the MLB trade deadline, but he stayed put for the time being.

All in all, Skubal has been pitching well this season, and being called the "best pitcher in the game right now" from arguably the best hitter in the game is quite a strong endorsement.

Related: Aaron Judge Passes Bernie Williams For The 14th Highest WAR In New York Yankees History