Aaron Judge entered the final week before the postseason with one mission: maintain his lead in the home run race over Shohei Ohtani. On Sunday, he made significant progress, extending the gap in their slugging battle with another display of power.
The New York Yankees’ slugger crushed his 55th home run of the season against the Oakland Athletics at the Coliseum, further distancing himself from Ohtani, who has 52. Earlier in the week, Ohtani had sparked headlines by hitting three home runs in one game and driving in 10 runs against the Miami Marlins. Though he added another homer on Friday, Judge’s recent surge kept him firmly in the driver’s seat of the race.
Turning around a slump and breaking the “Paw Patrol” curse
What makes Judge’s recent home run even more notable is the context. After a slow August and a rough start to September, Judge had gone homerless for 16 games, prompting frustration among fans. Some even joked that Aaron Judge’s feature on Paw Patrol jinxed his streak, with many blaming his slump on the appearance. But on September 13, Aaron Judge turned things around in a grand way—literally—when he blasted a grand slam in the seventh inning of a game against the Boston Red Sox, helping the Yankees secure a 5-4 victory.
Aaron Judge, who has been a cornerstone for the Yankees all season, is now solidifying his case for the American League MVP award. Ohtani, while continuing to perform well offensively, has shifted to primarily a designated hitter role due to an elbow injury, but he still remains a strong candidate for National League MVP.
On Sunday, Aaron Judge’s home run was a no-doubter. In the third inning, he launched a 110.9 mph missile off A’s starter Joey Estes, sending it 407 feet over the center-field wall, according to The Athletics. It was Judge’s second home run in as many games and his fourth of September, breaking out of his longest career homerless drought.
With that blast, Aaron Judge’s stats speak for themselves. He’s batting .322 with a career-high 138 RBIs and boasts a league-best 1.149 OPS. His resurgence at the plate couldn’t come at a better time for the Yankees, who are fighting for postseason positioning despite injuries and inconsistency throughout the lineup.
A sentimental series for Aaron Judge at the Coliseum
For Aaron Judge, this series carried extra significance beyond just statistics. The 32-year-old grew up in Stockton, California, about 90 minutes from the Coliseum. As a kid, he attended A’s games with his family. The A’s even drafted him in the 31st round out of high school in 2010, but Judge chose to attend Fresno State, leading to the Yankees picking him in the first round in 2013.
This series marked the Yankees’ final appearance at the Coliseum, with the A’s relocating to Sacramento next year.
Though breaking his own 2022 American League home run record of 62 may not be on the horizon, Aaron Judge’s focus is clear: guiding the Bronx Bombers to postseason success. His latest home run pushes Ohtani even further behind in the chase, leaving Judge exactly where he wants to be.
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