Mickey Togs

Aaron Judge hit a two-run homer in the first inning after nearly striking out and the host New York Yankees recorded a 7-3 victory over the Oakland Athletics.

Judge hit his fourth homer of the season after Oakland starting pitcher Joe Boyle (1-4) was called for a balk. Doyle was called for the balk after throwing a called third strike to Judge, who began walking back to the dugout before returning to finish the at-bat.

After the balk, Judge lined a fastball into the right-field seats to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead. It was Judge’s 261st career homer and the slugger passed former captain Derek Jeter for ninth place on the Yankees’ all-time list.

Judge also singled in the third for his first multi-hit game since April 13 and fourth of the season.

Anthony Rizzo homered for the second straight game and Juan Soto also homered as the Yankees won for the fifth time in seven games.

Red Lobster introduces its new Cheddar Bay Stuffing and much more as part of the brand’s new Lobster & Shrimp Celebration.

As part of the Lobster & Shrimp Celebration, fans can enjoy a variety of select entrees with two seafood favorites on one plate, including:

• New Lobster & Shrimp Holiday Feast: Tender Maine lobster tail meat and shrimp in an orange-rosemary holiday sauce. Served with mashed potatoes, new Cheddar Bay Stuffing, and choice of one side.
• New Lobster & Cheddar Bay-Stuffed Shrimp: A roasted Maine lobster tail paired with shrimp topped with a savory brioche, Cheddar Bay, bacon, and mushroom stuffing, all served with choice of two sides.
• New Lobster & Shrimp Overboard: A roasted Maine lobster tail, lobster and shrimp linguini, and a grilled shrimp skewer, served with a choice of two sides.

Red Lobster’s new Cheddar Bay Stuffing is described as a savory brioche, Cheddar Bay, bacon, and mushroom stuffing. You can add it to any meal as a side option.

WWE, part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO), announced that WrestleMania XL became the most successful and highest-grossing event in company history.

Highlights include:

GATE: WrestleMania XL broke the previous record set by WrestleMania 39 by 78 percent, with 145,298 in attendance at Lincoln Financial Field over two nights. The event drew fans from all 50 states and 64 countries worldwide.

VIEWERSHIP: WrestleMania XL viewership was up 41 percent across both nights versus last year’s record-setting audience.

MERCHANDISE: In partnership with Fanatics, merchandise sales were up more than 20 percent versus the previous record set at WrestleMania 39.

SPONSORSHIP: WrestleMania XL featured the first-ever ring mat sponsorship with PRIME Hydration.

FAN EVENT: WWE World at WrestleMania, in partnership with Fanatics Events, is now the highest-grossing and most-attended fan event in company history.

SOCIAL: WrestleMania XL became the most socially viewed WrestleMania of all time, with over 660 million views consumed over the two days. WWE’s YouTube channel saw its most-viewed day in channel history on WrestleMania XL Sunday with more than 67 million views in 24 hours.

SMACKDOWN: Friday Night SmackDown at Wells Fargo Center drew the largest gate in SmackDown history.

RAW: Monday Night Raw at Wells Fargo Center drew the largest gate in Raw history.

The record-breaking event was highlighted by the highly anticipated in-ring return of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes’ triumphant victory over Roman Reigns.

The Mets offense broke out for nine runs to defeat the Pirates 9-1 and finish off a series sweep of Pittsburgh. Tyrone Taylor led the charge with three hits while both Starling Marte and Harrison Bader went deep. 

The Mets pitching was again solid which started with Luis Severino. He gave up one run in six innings and the bullpen handled the rest.

“We mixed some two-seamers in there to get some double plays and I think that helped,” Severino said.

For Severino, who lowered his ERA to 2.14, it was a third straight start of allowing one earned run or less. On this day he got the win — his first in a Mets uniform.

The win finished off a 5-1 homestand as the team now heads to Los Angeles to take on the Dodgers.

The Yankees have made a habit of playing close games early on this season, including the first half of Saturday’s doubleheader when their bullpen had to walk a tightrope for a one-run win over the Guardians.

But they turned on cruise control in the nightcap.

After Oswaldo Cabrera’s two-run homer lifted them to a 3-2 win in Game 1, the Yankees scored early and often in Game 2 to support an impressive spot start from right-hander Cody Poteet for an 8-2 win, sweeping the doubleheader at Progressive Field.

“Not an easy thing to do,” manager Aaron Boone said. “Especially when you spend the whole day here and the split doubleheader, to walk out of here with two wins is definitely nice, with an opportunity to have a great weekend Sunday.”

With the sweep of the Guardians (9-5), the Yankees improved to 12-3, matching the best start in franchise history through 15 games. 

Juan Soto delivered a three-run homer to help break the nightcap open in the fourth inning and Cabrera added an RBI double in the fifth as he takes over everyday third-base duties with Jon Berti landing on the IL.

The Yankees pounded out 19 hits and drew 15 walks between the two games, with their relentless offensive approach ensuring neither Guardians starter (Carlos Carrasco or Triston McKenzie) made it through the fifth inning. 

Dwight Gooden still had one regret about his career, which was how his time with the Mets ended.

Prior to his number retirement ceremony, Gooden said more than once  on Sunday he wanted to “make things right” with Mets fans after the way his tenure with the team ended in 1994, when he tested positive for cocaine and was suspended by MLB for all of the 1995 season.

“The fans stuck with me through everything,’’ Gooden said Sunday prior to his number retirement ceremony at Citi Field. “After ‘94, when the Mets cut ties with me, I always wanted to come back here.”

He got the opportunity on Sunday, when he recounted that he tried to return to the Mets as a player on several occasions, but the team never gave him the chance.

During his brief speech prior to Sunday’s game during an ill-timed rain shower, Gooden said he called the Mets following his two-year stint with the Yankees, which elicited a round of boos from the crowd.

Gooden responded, “I’m always a Met.”

Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady teased a potential NFL comeback during an appearance on the ‘Deep Cut’ podcast.

“I’m not opposed to it,” Brady said when asked by the host if he’d answer the call from an NFL team needing a quarterback due to injury.

“I don’t know if they are going to let me if I become an owner of an NFL team. I’m always going to be in good shape. I’ll always be able to throw the ball. So, to come in for a little bit, like Michael Jordan coming back, I don’t know if they would let me. But I wouldn’t be opposed to it.”

Mentioned was a hypothetical scenario where the San Francisco 49ers or the New England Patriots needed to sign a quarterback late in the season due to injury. They also mentioned the Las Vegas Raiders, with whom he has a deal to become a minority owner pending league approval.

He was not exactly facing Murderers’ Row, but the opponent has often not mattered for Carlos Rodon as a Yankee.

On Tuesday, it was the Marlins in front of him, and Rodon mowed them down for one of his best starts in pinstripes.

Rodon took a shutout into the seventh inning before running into some trouble (only part of which was his own doing), but it was enough to send the Yankees to a 3-2 win over the Marlins in The Bronx.

“A step in the right direction today,” Rodon said after giving up a pair of unearned runs over six-plus innings with six strikeouts. “Just keep going. The confidence is growing, for sure.”

The Yankees are now off to a 10-2 start, matching their best in franchise history through 12 decisions after also doing it in 1922, 1949 and 2003 — three seasons that each ended in a trip to the World Series.

Building off of Nestor Cortes’ eight shutout innings against the Marlins (1-11) on Monday night, Rodon completed six scoreless innings for the first time as a Yankee (in his 17th start with the team).