It happened on a Sunday in July. The year was 2017. Most people don't even remember the score of the game, but everyone remembers the altuve and judge picture. You know the one. Aaron Judge, a man built like a literal mountain, stands at second base next to Jose Altuve, who... well, doesn't.
It’s hilarious. It’s jarring. Honestly, it looks like a glitch in a video game where two different scales were accidentally loaded into the same frame.
The Day the Internet Broke (At Least the Baseball Part)
The original shot was captured by photographer Bob Levey on July 2, 2017, at Minute Maid Park. The New York Yankees were in town to play the Houston Astros. In the first inning, Judge doubled. He trotted into second base, and there he was: 6-foot-7 of Pinstriped power standing right next to the 5-foot-6 Altuve.
It was a perfect storm.
You had the tallest position player in the game at the time and the shortest. The height difference is technically 13 inches, but looking at that photo, it feels more like three feet. Judge’s belt is basically at Altuve’s chin level.
People loved it. Within minutes, the altuve and judge picture was everywhere. It wasn't just sports fans sharing it, either. It hit the "general internet" because it touched on that universal human fascination with extreme contrasts. It’s why we like seeing a Great Dane standing next to a Chihuahua.
Is the photo actually real?
People ask this all the time. "Is it photoshopped?" "Was Altuve standing in a hole?"
Nope. It’s 100% real.
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The perspective helps a little, sure. Judge is slightly closer to the lens in some of the shots from that series, which exaggerates the gap. But the baseline reality is that Judge is a massive human being—282 pounds of muscle. Altuve is a compact dynamo.
Later that same year, during the ALCS, Getty photographer Yi-Chin Lee caught another angle that was perhaps even more iconic. In that version, they are both looking toward the outfield, and it really drives home the "David and Goliath" vibe. It became the definitive visual for the 2017 AL MVP race.
Why the Altuve and Judge Picture Matters
Baseball is a weird sport. It’s one of the few places where Altuve and Judge can both be the best in the world at the exact same time.
Think about it. In the NBA, if you’re 5-foot-6, you’re basically a spectator unless you’re Muggsy Bogues. In the NFL, Judge would be an offensive tackle and Altuve... maybe a really small return specialist? But in baseball, they are equals.
- Jose Altuve: Uses a low center of gravity. He’s got these incredibly quick hands. He’s harder to strike out because his strike zone is tiny.
- Aaron Judge: Leverage. Pure, unadulterated leverage. When he connects, the ball stays hit. His strike zone is a skyscraper, but his reach is also massive.
The altuve and judge picture represents the "everyone is welcome" nature of the game. It’s a visual argument against the idea that you have to look a certain way to be an elite athlete.
The MVP Drama
You can’t talk about this photo without talking about the 2017 MVP race. It was a heated debate.
On one side, you had Judge. He was a rookie. He hit 52 home runs. He was the face of the "New" Yankees. On the other, you had Altuve. He hit .346. He led the league in hits. He was the engine of the Astros' first World Series run.
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Altuve won.
Then the scandal broke.
When the news about the Astros' sign-stealing came out in late 2019, the altuve and judge picture took on a new, much saltier meaning for Yankees fans. Judge eventually deleted a tweet from 2017 where he had congratulated Altuve on the MVP win. He told reporters in 2020 that he was "sick to his stomach" when he found out they cheated.
Now, when people share the photo, it's often used as a meme about the rivalry between the two teams. It went from a "hey, look at this funny height difference" to a "this is the face of a rivalry that defines the modern era."
Behind the Scenes: The Logistics of the Shot
Getting a photo like that isn't just luck. Photographers at the stadium know where the "crossover" points are.
Second base is the prime spot. It’s the only place on the infield where a runner and a fielder are likely to stand still for a few seconds and just... exist. If Judge is at first, he’s standing near a first baseman who is usually pretty tall himself. But at second? That's Altuve's house.
The lighting at Minute Maid Park is also uniquely bright because of the retractable roof and the way the shadows fall on the dirt. It makes for high-contrast, crisp images that pop on a smartphone screen. That’s why the altuve and judge picture looked so good on Twitter (now X) and Instagram. It was built for the feed.
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Is the Gap Getting Smaller?
Actually, no.
If anything, the gap in their legacies has only grown. Judge broke the American League home run record in 2022 with 62 bombs. Altuve has continued to rack up hits and remains one of the greatest second basemen to ever play.
They’ve both aged into "statesmen" roles for their respective clubs. But every time they meet on the field, the cameras still come out. People still wait for that moment when they're both standing near the bag.
It’s just one of those things. It never gets old.
What to Do With This Information
If you’re a baseball fan, or just someone who loves a good visual anomaly, there are a few ways to appreciate the altuve and judge picture beyond just scrolling past it.
- Check out the "Statcast" data: Look up the strike zone heights for both players. It’s a fascinating look at how the rules of the game adapt to the human body.
- Look for the 2019 "Remake": There are several versions of this photo from different years. Comparing the 2017 original to the 2024 versions shows how much—and how little—has changed.
- Understand the context: Next time you see the meme, remember it’s not just about height. It’s about a rookie vs. a veteran, the Bronx vs. Houston, and a rivalry that changed how we look at the sport.
The altuve and judge picture isn't just a funny photo. It's a timestamp for a specific era of baseball. It’s about the shift from the traditional "big guy" power era to a game where skill, regardless of size, can take you to the Hall of Fame.
Whether you root for the Yankees or the Astros, you’ve gotta admit: it’s a hell of a shot.