Aaron Judge and the Weight of October Expectations

Aaron Judge, the prolific slugger for the New York Yankees, finds himself under intense scrutiny once again as the postseason unfolds. Despite an extraordinary regular season, Judge’s postseason performance has not echoed his success. This trend continued in the first two games of the American League Division Series (ALDS) as the Yankees took on the Kansas City Royals.

Judge, who led Major League Baseball in home runs, RBIs, and walks this season, is facing a familiar narrative of struggling in October. In Game 2, with runners on first and second base and nobody out, Judge struck out, contributing to what has become the worst strikeout rate (34.3%) in MLB postseason history for players with at least 200 plate appearances. His current postseason tally stands at 1-for-7.

“If I’m not hitting 1.000, I’m not feeling good,” Judge remarked after the Yankees’ 4-2 loss, using a familiar line. Despite the apparent slump, he remains confident, stating that his timing hasn’t been affected by the Yankees’ bye week and citing the presence of continuing live pitching practice.

This October slump, however, isn’t novel for even the greatest hitters, as similar challenges faced legends like Barry Bonds and Willie Mays during their playoff appearances. Bonds, for instance, struggled in his early postseason career, hitting .196 until a breakout year in 2002.

The Yankees are hanging onto hopes for a turnaround, noted baseball analyst Juan Soto saying, “You can never count him out. He’s the greatest hitter of all time right now.” Soto emphasized Judge’s resilience and ability to adapt, a characteristic that Judge has proven repeatedly throughout his career since bursting onto the MLB scene with his Rookie of the Year-winning campaign in 2017.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone echoed these sentiments before the ALDS, acknowledging Judge’s immense contribution to the team’s regular season success. Boone acknowledged the importance of a World Series title to cement Judge’s legacy but noted the difficulty of such a pursuit in a team sport like baseball.

As the series continues, Judge and the Yankees find themselves with a chance for redemption and a quest for their first World Series title since 2009. Judge, ever focused on team achievements over individual accolades, acknowledges the stakes: “Wearing pinstripes here in New York, it’s about the World Series, so it makes it simple for us, what to focus on,” he shared.