NEW YORK — Aaron Judge is the best hitter in baseball, and in a few weeks he will win the AL MVP Award for the second time in three seasons. When he’s out, watching him walk into the batter’s box is an absolute nightmare for opposing pitchers.
Unfortunately, when the calendar turned from September to October and the Yankees needed him the most, Judge was mostly absent. And for the Yankees to return to the Bronx, they’ll either have to wake up or watch the season come to a bitter end in the World Series against the Dodgers.
The Yankees captain is having a tough time as his team faces a 2-0 deficit in the series, but it looks like the baseball leader in home runs is starting to put pressure on him.
“I definitely have to step up and do my job,” Judge told reporters after the second fight. I’m failing them, not supporting them. We have to turn things around. ”
Aaron Judge wants to return to Los Angeles for the World Series. (Photo by Michael Owens/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
October will not be remembered fondly for Judge, who posted an impressive batting average of .150 (six hits in 40 at bats), two home runs, seven walks, and 19 strikeouts. Swings and misses have always been a part of Judge’s game, and he recorded 171 strikeouts while putting together one of the best seasons in history for a right-handed hitter.
The problem is, those strikeouts and insane power don’t come with the 1.159 OPS he posted during the regular season.
What’s special about Judge is that when he’s on, it’s impossible to get him out of the strike zone. Usually, the only hope a pitcher has is to hope he expands his zone. He has improved significantly this postseason compared to the regular season.
“I think swing decisions are part of it. I think it’s different for each person in how they load, how they start, and how they move on time, but if you do that, you’ll get a swing,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. He spoke after losing 4-2 in the second game. “It’s all about results. When asked about Anthony (Rizzo), what would be different about him in the playoffs? “He’s starting to show some good movement and is now in a strong position to make good swing decisions. be.
“That’s ultimately what hitting is all about, it’s not just about being in the best position to make a good swing decision, but also being in a strong position to make a good swing. Everyone does that differently. But I think he’s gradually overcoming that now.”
The Dodgers have done a good job of counting Judge, and when they get Judge up to two strikes, whether it’s Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s splitter, Jack Flaherty’s curveball, or Blake Treinen’s sweeper, Judge makes the downswing. Continuing.
One thing that makes Judge’s struggles even more frustrating is that both Gleyber Torres (.389 batting average) and Juan Soto (.460 batting average) have done a great job of getting on base, and for both Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, This means that preparations have been made.
October’s woes are not unusual for Judge. In 55 postseason games, Judge has hit .199/.304/.436 with 15 home runs and struck out over 40% of his 211 postseason at-bats.
Monday night, as Judge and the Yankees prepare for Game 3, the time for baseball clichés is over. It’s true that baseball is difficult, and pitching in the postseason is even better than in the regular season. But the reality is, the Yankees won’t win the World Series even if their captain plays like he does. And now, facing a 2-0 deficit in the series, that pressure only increases.
“It definitely eats away at you,” the judge said. “I want to contribute and help the team, but in order to do that I have to keep working and keep swinging. I can’t sit here and I feel bad for myself. Nobody thinks badly of me.”
