Oct 26, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (99) reacts after striking out in the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game two of the 2024 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Aaron Judge continues to look like a shell of his MVP self this postseason.
The New York Yankees’ slugger is 1-for-9 with six strikeouts across the first two games of the World Series, coming up empty in multiple massive spots that could have potentially turned this Fall Classic on its head in Los Angeles.
Following a Gleyber Torres two-out double in the ninth inning of Game 1, tied at two apiece, Judge popped out to shortstop to end the threat. In Game 2, he went 0-for-4 with three punchouts — his last delaying New York’s ninth-inning rally as he recorded the first out of the frame with Juan Soto on second base.
The formula for getting Judge out has been simple: Go offspeed and bomb the pitch out of the zone either low or toward the left-hand batter’s box.
“I think it’s trying to make things happen instead of letting the game come to you,” Judge said. “I think that’s what it really comes down to. You see Gleyber out there on base, Juan is getting on base, doing things, you want to try to make something happen. But if you’re not going to get a pitch in the zone, you’ve got to just take your walks instead. Plain and simple. I’ve got to start swinging at strikes.
“I’m just expanding the zone. That’s really what it comes down to. You’ve got to get a pitch in the zone and drive it, and if you don’t, don’t try to make something happen.”
These struggles are headlining what has become an alarming trend for a player who is about to win his second career American League MVP after leading the majors with 58 home runs, 144 RBI, and a 1.159 OPS.
Not only is he 6-for-40 (.150) with two home runs and 19 strikeouts this postseason, but he is now batting .199 for his career in the playoffs.
Only 59 players in MLB history have recorded 245 postseason appearances in their career — Judge joined that list during Game 2 on Saturday night.
His average ranks second-worst while compiling the fewest hits (42) and the worst strikeout rate (34.3%).
“It definitely eats at you,” Judge said. “You want to contribute and help the team, but that’s why you’ve got to keep working and you’ve got to keep swinging. I just can’t sit here and feel bad for myself. Nobody is feeling bad for me, so you’ve just got to show up and do the work.”
Yankees manager Aaron Boone is not entertaining the thought of moving Judge down the lineup, but times are getting desperate especially when the superstar slugger had an opportunity to help his team win at least one of those first two games.
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