LOS ANGELES — Aaron Judge’s struggles in the postseason are becoming increasingly problematic for the New York Yankees, as the team’s hopes for a championship are dwindling alongside his performance.
The Yankees’ star player had a disappointing outing, recording only one hit in nine at-bats, accompanied by six strikeouts across the first two games of the World Series held at Dodger Stadium, resulting in two losses for New York.
During Game 2 on Saturday, Judge failed to secure a hit, going 0 for 4 while striking out three times. He faced challenges even making contact with pitches from Dodger pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Blake Treinen, as he struck out in a crucial moment with Juan Soto on second base, marking the first out in the ninth inning of a 4-2 defeat.
Judge’s performance in Game 2 was particularly concerning, as he swung and missed six times during his four at-bats, a statistic that stands in stark contrast to the overall Dodgers roster, which combined for only 12 swings and misses.
Despite likely securing his second American League MVP award once the season concludes, Judge has not embodied the image of a clutch player this October.
Throughout the playoffs, he has struggled immensely, managing to hit just six times in 40 at-bats, hitting two home runs, and striking out a staggering 19 times. Notably, all six of his RBIs came during a brief, three-game span in the American League Championship Series. He has been ineffective in high-pressure situations, going 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position and registering merely one hit in his last 22 at-bats in similar contexts in past postseason appearances.
This performance is not a mere blip on the radar for Judge, who has been a formidable hitter during the regular season. His playoff batting average has now dipped to a disappointing .199 as the World Series heads to Yankee Stadium.
This high-profile World Series was initially centered around the matchup between Judge and Shohei Ohtani, recognized as two of the most dangerous hitters in baseball. However, while Giancarlo Stanton and Freddie Freeman made notable contributions in the initial games, Judge and Ohtani combined for only one impactful hit throughout the series. Just when Ohtani seemed to regain his momentum by doubling and scoring in Game 1, he faced uncertainty due to an arm injury sustained while sliding in Game 2.
Ohtani managed to get on base during the first two games with one hit in eight at-bats, accompanied by a walk and two strikeouts, struggling to create impact during critical plate appearances as he often put the ball in play early.
In Game 1, Judge finished with a 1 for 5 record, striking out against Jack Flaherty in his first three at-bats. His only hit was a two-out single during the seventh inning, but Stanton was unable to advance him. Judge later popped out with two runners on base in the ninth inning, missing a perfect opportunity for a postseason moment. The Dodgers even opted to walk Juan Soto, creating a chance for Judge, yet he could not capitalize.
This postseason marks Judge’s first appearance since signing a monumental nine-year contract worth $360 million after setting an AL record with 62 home runs in 2022 and beating out Ohtani for the American League MVP honor. His performance is made even more significant by the fact that the Yankees were absent from the postseason last year.
In the current season, Judge led Major League Baseball with impressive stats, including 58 home runs, 144 RBIs, and an OPS of 1.159, while achieving a batting average of .322 and scoring 122 runs, factors that contributed to the Yankees clinching the AL East title even as he experienced a rare 16-game home run drought in the months of August and September.
The towering Judge, standing at 6 feet 7 inches, has recently displayed a looped and less precise swing, though it showed signs of improvement in recent weeks. However, he still struggles with swinging and missing at an alarming rate, including a poor swing on a slider from Yamamoto in the first inning of Game 2. His timing has been off, often leading him to chase breaking pitches too early while lagging behind on fastballs.
Judging by his dismal outing on Saturday, including a fly out to right to conclude the third inning and a second strikeout against Yamamoto to finish the fifth, the pressure is mounting for Judge as the Yankees continue to fight for their championship dreams.