Despite being from Arizona, the Padres might have gotten her right over the Diamondbacks. Well, Emma Stone is never shy about her baseball loyalties. A proud Padres fan, she’s stood by the team through thick and thin, even at the cost of getting booed at Citi Field or catching side-eyes from the Yankees loyals. This time, too, we witnessed Stone at her best in the stands at Yankee Stadium. With all smiles, soaking in the Yankees-Padres clash — and cheering, notably, for Dylan Cease getting the better of Aaron Judge.

And tbh, Cease’s performance was definitely worth every cheer!

In the May 7 game at Yankee Stadium, Cease showcased his elite form, carrying a no-hitter into the seventh inning against the Bronx powerhouse. The first six innings saw Cease allowing no hits, issuing just two walks, and racking up nine strikeouts. Ahh, the classic Cease, and not to forget that these 9 SOs also include one of Aaron Judge!

While the Padres failed to clinch the final game of a chaotic, high-stakes series, Cease’s gem had fans, including Emma Stone, on the edge of their seats.

You know what Aaron Judge is doing this year. He is simply going brutal on the field, amassing 12 HRs already. And while he got 34 SOs since the regular season kicked in, getting Judge is something the rival teams always pray for. Now, with that, imagine a pitcher striking out Aaron Judge without giving up a run. Impressive, isn’t it? Dylan Cease has just done that. What followed was a standing ovation from Emma Stone and his husband, Dave McCary, from the front row.

However, the cheer was short-lived for Stone as the game was gone against the Padres by 3-4. And what made it worse was Cease’s injury. He was unexpectedly pulled from the game because of an apparent forearm cramp, casting a shadow over what had been a dominant performance. While the severity of the injury isn’t yet clear, the Padres are expected to provide more clarity in the coming hours.

While the celebration for Cease might feel a little over-the-top, the value of getting Aaron Judge cannot have a lighter applause. Because the way Judge is steamrolling the pitchers this year is simply devastating.

Aaron Judge is the man of this season

It was long debated about what new milestones Shohei Ohtani would touch this year and how Juan Soto would perform with the Mets. But Judge took all the limelight.

As of early May, Judge leads the AL in terms of BA (.412), HR (12), and RBI (34). This impressive start follows a historic April, during which Judge achieved a .427 BA, hit 10 HRs, and 32 RBIs. Notably, he became the first player since the designated hitter was introduced in 1973 to lead the AL in batting average, home runs, and RBIs by the end of April. That sums up the face of the Yankees!

Well, Aaron Judge has been so dominant this season that his AL MVP odds are second to no one. He entered the year as the favorite to claim his third AL MVP, but his scorching start has only widened the gap between him and the rest of the field. Yes, you check the stats of other hitters, and you would know the difference.

Judge isn’t just leading the charge, but doing overtrumps there.

And so, the cheer for Cease against Aaron Judge gets further justified, considering how Judge was dominant against Cease all these years. In 17 career plate appearances against him, Judge boasts a 4-10 record, amassing an impressive 1.104 OPS. His hits include two doubles and a home run, contributing to four RBIs, alongside three walks and eight strikeouts. Now with this figure, it is expected that a Padres fan would jump and shout if Cease strikes out Judge without a run! Emma Stone is no exception here.