The most surprising concern about Aaron Judges deflating Yankees slump
Yankee Stadium will host its first World Series game in 15 years on Monday, but will it actually feel like a party?The Yankees headed home in a 2-0 series deficit after a 4-2 loss to the Dodgers in Game 2 on Saturday night in which their offense was lifeless until the ninth inning, when their rally was too little, too late.The Game 2 loss only made falling in Game 1 more regrettable.On Friday, they had two crucial defensive miscues that cost them and a few strategic decisions that were left for second-guessing.
On Saturday, they straight up got beat.With Game 3 set for Monday night in The Bronx — and the Dodgers waiting to find out more on Shohei Ohtani’s shoulder after he suffered a subluxation trying to steal second in the eighth inning Saturday — the Yankees’ season hangs in the balance.In the meantime, a rundown on Game 2:— The Yankees are not going to do anything if they don’t get Aaron Judge back looking like Aaron Judge.The likely AL MVP went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts Saturday and is now 1-for-9 in the World Series and 6-for-40 with 19 strikeouts this October.There is still time to flip the script, but for now, Judge is ending the season the way he started it.
Of course, in between were five months of red-hot offense with historic numbers, but Judge has fallen back into a slump at the worst time over these first 11 playoff games — reminiscent of a 6-for-43 with 20 strikeouts stretch he had in 11 games from April 15 to April 26, only these at-bats come with a heck of a lot more weight.Judge was booed at home during the 2022 ALDS, on the heels of his record-breaking 62-homer season.A few empty at-bats on Monday night and history could repeat itself.
Or perhaps he changes the narrative with one big swing.But during Judge’s struggles this postseason, in which he has expanded the zone and gotten hurt by low off-speed pitches, one thing has stood out in particular.During the regular season, Judge hit 18 of his 58 home runs in the first innin...