FIRST Take analyst Stephen A. Smith has made an embarrassing blunder in a conversation about New York Yankees star Aaron Judge’s historic campaign.
The ESPN star horribly mixed up the Yankees’ batting order on Wednesday’s First Take .
Stephen A. Smith on Wednesday’s First Take ESPN Aaron Judge reacts after striking out against the Washington Nationals on August 28, 2024 Getty
Judge, 32, registered .333/.467/.731 in 132 for the Yankees this season.
The outfielder led the league in home runs (51), RBIs (123), and OPS (1.198).
Earlier in August, he became the fastest man to reach 300 home runs in the MLB .
Speaking on Judge’s heroic effort this season, Smith, 56, didn’t deny the California native’s greatness.
However, he tried to suggest that the 2022 American League MVP has benefitted from having Yankees co-star Juan Soto as the next man up in the lineup.
“But you do got Juan Soto batting behind you,” Stephen A. said.
“They can’t get around you… they got to pitch to the brother, because you got Soto waiting in the wings.
“All of that facilitates Aaron Judge being who he is.”
The problem with Smith’s argument is that Soto has hit before Judge in most of the Yankees’ games this season.
Chris “Mad Dog” Russo, who sat across from Stephen A. as he made the blunder, also didn’t correct his First Take co-star.
The embarrassing mistake didn’t escape MLB fans’ attention.
“Has he not watched a game this season…. Soto hits before Judge,” one posted on X.
“I am begging Stephen A to please stop talking about baseball. Please,” another added.
“Some people shouldn’t talk about baseball,” a third said.
Stephen A. Smith's journey through media
STEPHEN A. Smith is now the face of ESPN and an executive producer on First Take having initially started working for the company back in 2003.
Smith has held various roles with the network, including hosting radio shows, SportsCenter contributions, and appearing on NBA Countdown.
He was a columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer from 1994 to 2010.
His began as an NBA writer before becoming a general sports columnist.
Before that, Smith worked as a reporter with Winston-Salem Journal, the Greensboro News, and the New York Daily News.
“[Stephen] stop talking Yankee baseball you don’t even watch. Soto bats before Judge,” one wrote.
During the same episode, Smith got compared to a member of the Temptations band due to the pink blazer he sported on the set.
He also sparred with Mad Dog over CeeDee Lamb ‘s new deal with the Dallas Cowboys .
Stephen A. rejected Russo’s claim that he was the only one to see Lamb re-signing with the Cowboys before Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season.
“Such lies,” Smith said.
Lamb inked a four-year, $136 million deal with the Cowboys earlier this week.
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