It could have been a big payday for the man who snatched Aaron Judge’s record-breaking home run on Wednesday, but the night ended with his wife joking about getting a divorce.
The lighthearted moment came after Judge equalized Roger Maris’ single-season home run record in the American League after hitting his 61st home run against the Toronto Blue Jays.
The New York Yankees hitter sent the ball over the fence at Rogers Center, where it was nearly caught by two separate fans, both of whom looked embarrassed after slipping it between their fingers.
Instead, the expensive piece of history landed in the stands and fell into the bullpen, where it was eventually picked up by Blue Jays pitching coach Matt Buschmann.
Bushman’s eagle-eyed wife spotted her husband with the ball while she was home in Florida when Hurricane Ian hit the state.
“The bad news is I’m battling a hurricane down here in Florida, but the good news is I can announce my retirement.” Sara Walsh, a sports spokeswoman, tweeted after seeing her husband hold the hugely lucrative collector’s item, which could have fetched seven figures at auction.
Moments later, however, Buschmann passed the ball to Toronto’s Jordan Romano before finally returning it to Judge himself.
According to Walsh, this was grounds for divorce.
“Oh cool. He just returned this without checking if our house is still there? Next, I would like to announce our divorce.” Walsh tweeted.
After receiving the ball, Judge appropriately gifted it to his mother, Patty, after the game.
Patty had been watching from the front row of the stands, sitting next to Roger Maris Jr. as she had done for the past few weeks.
“She was with me through everything,” Jude told reporters of his mother.
“Since the little league days, getting me ready for school, getting me to my first few practices and games, being there for my first professional game, my debut and now being given the chance to be here for it — that’s something special, and we’re not done yet.”
After hitting his 394-foot home run, Judge received a standing ovation from the Toronto crowd and was greeted by his teammates as he touched home plate.
He was also complimented on social media with Yankees legends Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez celebrating the achievement.
“Yes!!!” Jeter tweeted, while Rodriguez sang “Bam!!!! 61 for [Judge].”
Judge has a chance to break the AL record on Friday when the Yankees host the Baltimore Orioles.
If he does, there will no doubt be a shout as to who manages to win the ball.
oh cool He just returned this without checking if our house is still there? Next I want to announce our divorce. pic.twitter.com/37HmHIoomS
— Sara Walsh (@Sara_Walsh) September 29, 2022