AaronJudge’s struggles in the postseason contrast with his dominance in the regular season. His last notable playoff performance came in 2018, when he posted a stellar 1.194 OPS against the Red Sox, despite the Yankees being eliminated. However, in his most recent postseason appearance, during the 2022 ALCS against Houston, Aaron Judge managed just 1 hit in 16 hits after a record-breaking home run season.
However, Yankees hitting coach James Rowson is confident in Aaron Judge’s current form. He predicted that the batsman was in “a great moment” this season thanks to his impressive consistency, and this could see him dominate his rivals this October.
“Obviously, anyone [can have] difficult days in this game, but his season speaks for itself,” he commented on Thursday. “What he has been able to do this year we have not seen – perhaps – from a right-handed hitter in the history of the game. I love where it is.”
According to Rowson, Aaron Judge’s approach at the plate is as solid as ever. The coach highlighted the captain’s historic achievements as a right-handed hitter and stressed his focus on the ultimate prize: winning a World Series.
“He’s been motivated from day one,” Rowson said of Aaron Judge. “He’s looking forward to the postseason and anyone who knows Judge knows he’s focused on the day-to-day, but he has one goal in mind. The goal is to win a World Series. I think it’s going to be a solid postseason for him, and I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do.”
NYY
Is Aaron Judge ready to defeat the Royals?
The upcoming ALDS against Kansas City, which begins Saturday at Yankee Stadium, offers Aaron Judge a chance to regain his postseason form. Although the Royals finished with a modest 86 wins and have limited firepower beyond Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez, they remain a threat to the hitter, who is coming off another MVP-caliber season.
A key factor will be Kansas City’s Game 1 starter, right-hander Michael Wacha. At 33 years old, Wacha has been especially effective against Aaron Judge. In his previous matches, he has only had 1 hit in 18 hits, with 3 walks and 11 strikeouts. Judge’s .246 OPS against Wacha is the lowest against any pitcher he has faced more than 16 times.
When asked about Aaron Judge’s struggles against Wacha, Yankees coach Aaron Boone downplayed the small sample size, expressing confidence that his star hitter could rise to the occasion against any opponent. .
“I’ll continue to take my chances,” Boone said of the contest between the two. “It’s a small sample. I’d pick Aaron Judge over almost anyone any day.”
An experienced postseason pitcher, Michael Wacha made headlines during his breakout 2013 playoff run with the Cardinals, despite a rocky sixth game. However, his recent playoff performances have been less than stellar, as he has given up 19 runs and six home runs in just 11 innings over his last four outings. Wacha last faced the Yankees in May 2023, where Aaron Judge had one hit in four at-bats.
AP Photo/Stephen Brashear
Compounding the Yankees’ challenge is Seth Lugo, another potential starter for the Royals in the series. Lugo has consistently kept Aaron Judge in check, holding him hitless in eight at-bats with three strikeouts.
Despite these discouraging matchups, the Yankees remain confident in Aaron Judge, whose extraordinary 2024 season included 58 home runs, displaying what many believe is an even more refined approach than his 62-homer performance in 2022. The batter finished the regular season with five consecutive home runs, although he struck out five times in the last game, on September 28, his season high.
General manager Brian Cashman echoed this sentiment, calling Aaron Judge’s performance “superhuman” and expressing optimism that this could finally be the postseason in which the superstar hitter leads the Yankees to a championship, a goal that has escaped them during their mandate.
As the Yankees prepare for the playoffs, the hope is that Aaron Judge’s dominance in the regular season extends into October, propelling the team to its first World Series title with him as the cornerstone of the franchise.
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