Aaron Judge’s October failures on full display in World Series: ‘It definitely eats at you’

LOS ANGELES — Yoshinobu Yamamoto found himself in a 2-0 count against Aaron Judge when he delivered a fastball at the bottom of the strike zone — a pitch Judge typically punishes. During the regular season, Judge boasted an otherworldly .975 slugging percentage in that area. Yet, in the sixth inning of Game 2, he watched the pitch, leaving the bat resting on his shoulder.

“When I’m doing well, I usually fire on that,” Judge said after the Los Angeles Dodgers took a 2-0 lead over the New York Yankees in the World Series.

On the next pitch, Yamamoto delivered a curveball to the same location, but Judge managed only to foul it off. Those two pitches lingered in Judge’s mind after an 0-for-4 night, which included three strikeouts. Judge has now struck out six times in nine at-bats across the first two games of the World Series.

“It definitely eats at you,” Judge said of his struggles. “You want to contribute and help the team, but that’s why you got to keep working and keep swinging. I can’t sit here and feel bad for myself. Nobody’s feeling bad for me.”

On the field before Game 2, Judge spoke with Dave Winfield, whom George Steinbrenner notoriously dubbed “Mr. May,” after the slugger’s dismal 1-for-22 showing in the 1981 World Series. The sight of Judge and Winfield chatting before yet another Yankees-Dodgers World Series felt ironic; 43 years later, the presumptive American League MVP is just 1-for-9 through two games, playing a crucial role in the Yankees’ two-game deficit.

Patience with the captain is wearing thin among a championship-starved fan base. He now stands at 6-for-40 with 19 strikeouts this October and is 0-for-5 with runners on base in the World Series. As a whole, Judge is 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position this postseason. He’s recorded just one hit in his last 24 postseason at-bats in such situations (dating back to 2019). His .199 career batting average in the postseason ranks as the fifth-worst in franchise history among players with at least 100 plate appearances.

Winning four out of the next five games against a powerful Dodgers lineup that is seeing production from its stars will be nearly impossible if Judge continues to struggle. All the Yankees can do is remain hopeful that Judge, who was the best hitter in the sport this season, will ultimately rise to the occasion.

“I think the overall numbers don’t say how good of at-bats he’s had,” Giancarlo Stanton said. “Obviously, you see the overall numbers he’s had. He’s had good at-bats that haven’t shown for it. He’s got time to help us win some games.”

Results are all that matter in October, and the quality of at-bats means little when time is running out. The Yankees can’t afford to wait for Judge’s “quality” at-bats to translate into production — he needs to deliver starting Monday in what Anthony Rizzo has labeled a “must-win” game.

The Yankees clinched the American League East partly due to Judge’s dominant performance during the regular season. They need him now more than ever; excuses hold no weight as the calendar creeps closer to Halloween.

“We’re all a little bit anxious,” Yankees third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. said. “It’s the first two World Series games of our careers. You’re going to go out there a little bit anxious. I feel like when we get home, he’s gonna feel more confident and he’s gonna calm down a little bit more going into a home crowd.”

The home crowd may not have his back if his slump continues. He’s been booed at Yankee Stadium in October before, and this year will be no exception with the team down 0-2. If Judge steps up with a runner on base in the first inning Monday night and comes up short, he’s certain to hear jeers.

For the ninth time in 11 postseason games this year, Judge found himself at the plate with a runner on base in the first inning. There’s no greater catalyst for winning than scoring early and putting your opponent in a hole. With Gleyber Torres on second base, Judge struck out. He’s now 0-for-8 with six strikeouts in the first inning when either Torres or Juan Soto reaches base ahead of him.

“I definitely got to step up and do my job,” Judge said. “Guys around me are doing their jobs and getting on base. I’m failing backing them up. We got to turn it around in Game 3.”

Judge pinpointed one primary issue affecting his performance: expanding the strike zone. In the regular season, he finished in the 97th percentile for chase percentage, swinging at just 18.7 percent of pitches outside the zone. However, entering Game 2, he had chased 30.4 percent of pitches out of the zone.

His pitch recognition is currently off. Judge’s rise to being the world’s best hitter is largely attributed to his swing mechanics, which have given him a significant advantage in timing. When asked if his mechanics were in sync, Judge said he was “getting there” and is “close”

However, his description of why he felt he was chasing more than usual is a classic example of pressing, whether he intended to convey it or not. So far this October, Judge has had only one standout moment — hitting a game-tying home run off Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase. He is still in search of his defining World Series moment.

“At times, you want 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 and doing things. You want to try to make something happen. If you’re not gonna get a pitch in the zone, you gotta just take your walks and set it up for Big G. Just plain and simple: I have to start swinging at strikes.”

New York Mets starting pitcher Luis Severino playfully ribbed his former team during the regular season, joking that the Yankees had only two legitimate hitters in their lineup — implying that Judge and Soto were the only players that opposing teams truly feared.

In October, it’s Soto and Stanton stepping up as the two top dogs, with Torres also contributing. Judge cannot lay claim to that status right now. That spells bad news for the Yankees’ chances of winning the World Series.

(Top photo: Harry How / Getty Images)