Major League Baseball

Aaron Judge, Pete Rose chat before Yankees-Reds matchup

Published May. 20, 2023 5:45 p.m. ET

Arguably the best power hitter in baseball crossed paths with the MLB all-time hits leader Saturday.

Prior to first pitch of the New York Yankees' Saturday afternoon game against the Cincinnati Reds, Aaron Judge was seen chatting with Reds legend Pete Rose.

Did Judge ask Rose if he could trade one of his 30-home run seasons for one of Rose's 200-hit seasons? Was Rose asking for an ounce of Judge's power? Were the two debating whether the Boston Celtics are toast? That information isn't known at this time.

Rose finished his 24-year MLB career with 4,256 hits and a combined .303 batting average, and 19 of those seasons were spent with the Reds. Ten of his 24 seasons saw Rose total 200-plus hits. Meanwhile, he extensively played first, second and third base, as well as both corner outfielder positions.

Rose earned 17 All-Star Game nods, two Gold Gloves, one MVP and won Rookie of the Year honors. He also won three World Series (two with the Reds and one with the Philadelphia Phillies) and was a one-time MVP in the Fall Classic (1975).

Judge, 31, won the 2022 American League MVP, a campaign that saw him hit an AL record 62 home runs. The Yankees star outfielder entered Saturday having totaled 13 home runs and 29 RBIs while sporting a .278/.381/.624 batting line across 37 games. Judge is a four-time MLB All-Star, three-time Silver Slugger and won Rookie of the Year honors. New York signed Judge to a nine-year, $360 million deal in the offseason.

The Yankees entered Saturday 27-20, good for third in the AL East, while the Reds were 19-25, good for fourth in the NL Central.

New York won Game 1 of its three-game set against Cincinnati on Friday night, 6-2. Judge hit a solo home run in the top of the first inning.

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