CNN
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It could have been a big payday for the man who snagged Aaron Judge’s record home run on Wednesday, but the night ended when his wife joked about getting a “divorce.”
The lighthearted moment came after Judge tied Roger Maris’ single-season American League home run record after hitting his 61st home run against the Toronto Blue Jays.
The New York Yankees slugger sent the ball flying over the Rogers Center fence where it was nearly caught by two separate fans, who both looked mortified after letting it slip through their fingers.
Instead, the expensive piece of history hit the bleachers and fell into the bullpen where it was eventually picked up by Blue Jays pitching coach Matt Buschmann.
Buschmann’s eagle-eyed wife spotted her husband holding the ball while at her home in Florida as Hurricane Ian hit the state.
“The bad news is I’m here in Florida battling a hurricane, but the good news is I can announce my retirement,” said Sara Walsh, a sportscaster. tweeted after seeing her husband hold the highly lucrative collectible, which could have fetched upwards of seven figures at auction.
However, moments later, Buschmann gave Toronto the ball closer to Jordan Romano, before it was eventually returned to the judge himself.
This, according to Walsh, was grounds for divorce.
“Oh cool. He just returned this without checking if our house is still there? I would like to announce our divorce next,” Walsh tweeted.
After receiving the ball, Judge presented it to his mother, Patty, after the game.
Patty had been watching from the front row of the bleachers and was seated next to Roger Maris Jr., as she had been for the past few weeks.
“She’s been with me through everything,” Judge told reporters of her mother.
“Since the days of Little League, preparing for school, taking me to my first practices and games, being there for my first professional game, my debut and now having the chance to be here for this – c It’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 praised on social media with Yankees legends Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez celebrating the achievement.
“Yes!!!” Jeter tweeted, while Rodriguez went with “Bam!!!! 61 for [Judge].”
Judge will have a chance to break the AL record on Friday when the Yankees host the Baltimore Orioles.
If he manages to do so, there will undoubtedly be a roar for whoever manages to grab the ball.
