Boston — Aaron Judge arrived at Fenway Park as baseball’s most feared hitter. He left with his worst three-game stretch in years after the New York Yankees suffered their first sweep of 2025.
The Yankees captain managed just one hit in 12 at-bats while striking out nine times. His strikeout total included three in each game. No other series in Judge’s career featured three consecutive three-strikeout performances.
His only success came Friday night with a ninth-inning solo homer that forced extra innings. That blast represented New York’s lone run off Red Sox starting pitching all weekend.
“It usually helps any hitter when you swing at strikes,” Judge said. “You take some hacks trying to make something happen instead of taking your walk if they’re gonna give it to you.”
The admission revealed uncharacteristic aggressiveness from baseball’s most patient slugger.
Judge fails to overpower Red Sox’s game plan
Judge dominated the majors in nearly every offensive category entering the series. Boston’s pitching staff had different plans across three games.
The Red Sox attacked early with fastballs and mixed speeds to keep Judge guessing. He chased a low cutter Friday, whiffed on an elevated four-seamer, and struggled with sinkers down in the zone.
Sunday’s eighth inning epitomized his struggles. With two runners on base and the Yankees trailing 2-0, Judge faced Garrett Whitlock in a crucial spot. He grounded into an inning-ending double play instead of delivering his usual clutch hit.
Boone defends the Yankees captain
Yankees manager Aaron Boone maintained perspective despite Judge’s struggles.
“They pitched him tough, obviously,” Boone said. “He had a massive hit to force extra innings the first night. That’s baseball. It’s why guys don’t hit .450 with 900 homers. You’re gonna have a weekend where they execute and they get you. … He just had some swing and miss. Hitting is hard. It’s hard to be perfect.”
The manager’s comments highlighted how Judge’s rare struggles expose the Yankees’ offensive limitations.
“I don’t make nothing much of it,” Ben Rice pitched in. “If I could have that guy hitting every single at-bat, even if he’s not at his best, I would do it. I’m sure he’ll bounce back and be alright.”
Cora’s strategy pays off against Yankees slugger
Red Sox manager Alex Cora watched Judge terrorize his pitching staff the previous week in the Bronx. His team made crucial adjustments at Fenway.
“It’s hard, very hard,” Cora said. “We saw it last weekend [in The Bronx]. We saw it throughout the season. He’s so good at what he does, but we used our fastballs in the right spots and got some swings and misses. It was one of those weekends.”
“Throughout the years, we’ve been aggressive with him,” Cora added. “Sometimes he gets us [and] sometimes we do a good job with him. It’s always fun to compete against the best and, for me, he’s the best in the business right now.”
Supporting cast fails to step up
Judge’s offensive drought wouldn’t have mattered with adequate support from teammates. The Yankees managed four runs across three games. That total matched their lowest three-game output at Fenway since 1922.
Sunday’s finale featured just five Yankees hits. Nobody reached base after Judge’s double play. New York went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position in the loss and 4-for-22 for the entire series.
“They pitched him tough,” Boone repeated. His supporting cast couldn’t break through either.
Boston entered the weekend buried in the standings. They’ve climbed to 37-36 while riding a six-game winning streak. The Yankees watched their division lead shrink from 9.5 games to 3.5 over Tampa Bay.
The Fenway sweep marked New York’s first of the season. It carried unsettling echoes of past collapses that ruined promising campaigns. The Yankees never held a lead in any contest.
Judge acknowledged his pressing approach: “Gotta swing at strikes. Definitely some pitches off the edge or off the edge in… trying to make something happen instead of taking your walk.”
Whitlock delivers knockout punch
Sunday’s eighth inning showcased Boston’s newfound confidence against Judge. Alex Cora summoned Whitlock to face the league’s premier hitter with two runners aboard.
Judge grounded into a 5-4-3 double play that ended the Yankees’ best scoring chance.
“He’s one of the greatest hitters in the world,” Whitlock said. “It’s special to watch him play and everything. We tried to execute and had some execution this weekend.”
Red Sox pitchers didn’t just execute. They completely neutralized the Yankees’ most dangerous weapon.
Amid concerns Yankees pin hopes on captain
Judge returns to Yankee Stadium batting .378 while leading the league in OPS and WAR. His four-game walk drought and aggressive swing patterns raise concerns entering the homestand.
The Los Angeles Angels visit next as the Yankees seek offensive rhythm. They’ve scored five runs over their last 36 innings. Judge’s struggles magnify everyone else’s shortcomings.
Boone’s philosophy stayed consistent: “Hitting is hard. It’s hard to be perfect.”
Perfection isn’t expected from Judge. But when the offense disappears, he usually provides the solution.
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