TORONTO — Aaron Judge stood at the plate with the bases loaded and nobody out. The Yankees trailed by just two runs. One swing could change everything. Instead, he chased a splitter below the zone for strike three.
That moment in Game 1 captured the strange October that Judge and the Yankees are enduring. On Sunady, the contrast could not be sharper.
That stark difference tells the story of this ALDS. The Yankees trail 0-2 heading back to the Bronx after consecutive blowout losses at Rogers Centre. Their captain is hitting a robust .444 through five playoff games. Yet his team stands one defeat away from elimination.
Something does not add up. The numbers say Judge is producing. The results suggest otherwise. Two crushing defeats later, the Bronx Bombers find themselves on the brink of elimination after dropping both games at Rogers Centre by a combined score of 23-8.
When his team needed him most, baseball’s likely AL MVP has failed to deliver the signature moments that define postseason legends.
Numbers don’t tell the whole story for Judge
AP
Judge went 2 for 4 in Game 1’s 10-1 loss. He collected a single and a double. On paper, a productive day. But context matters in October. His strikeout with the bases loaded in the sixth inning killed the Yankees’ best chance to claw back into the game.
“Just trying to do my job,” Judge said after the defeat. “Get on base, drive guys in when they’re out there. Not trying to do too much, help this team.”
Aaron Judge on being down 2-0: "We've been here before."
The Captain reflects on the Yankees' 2017 comeback in the ALDS against Cleveland, and discusses flipping the script against the Blue Jays.#YANKSonYESpic.twitter.com/3s1psP03Tf
Kevin Gausman struck him out on an 86 mph splitter that dove below the strike zone. The Blue Jays starter admitted he got away with some pitches earlier in the at bat. But when it mattered most, Gausman executed. Judge did not.
“That’s a huge, huge strikeout obviously to a guy who is going to be the MVP of the league, probably,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said.
The Yankees managed just one run that inning. Cody Bellinger drew a walk to force home their only run of the game. Ben Rice popped out. Giancarlo Stanton struck out swinging. The opportunity vanished.
Game 2 brings more frustration
Sunday’s 13-7 loss in Game 2 brought new challenges for the Yankees outfielder. Judge walked in the first inning against Trey Yesavage. He was the only base runner the Yankees would get against the rookie starter.
In the fourth inning, Aaron Judge came up with a full count. He chased a high fastball for his fourth strikeout of October. By the time he got his next at bat in the sixth, the game was essentially over. He managed an infield single with the Blue Jays already holding a commanding lead.
Then came the defensive mishap. In the second inning, Daulton Varsho lined a shot over Ben Rice’s head. Judge tried to cut off the ball before it reached the wall along the right field line. The ball took a tricky hop and squeezed between his legs, rolling to the outfield wall.
Varsho reached third base. Ernie Clement followed with a two-run homer on the first pitch he saw from Max Fried. The Yankees never recovered.
Judge is still dealing with a flexor strain in his throwing arm. His arm strength is not at full capacity. The Blue Jays tested him repeatedly, knowing his limitations.
A concerning pattern emerges
Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
Since 2019, Judge has posted a .202 batting average in playoff games. He has nine home runs and 20 RBIs in that span. Those numbers pale in comparison to his regular season dominance.
This season, Judge captured his third AL MVP award in five years. He blasted 53 home runs during the regular season. His .331 batting average, .457 on-base percentage, and .688 slugging percentage all led the majors. He won the slash line triple crown.
But October baseball demands more than statistics. It requires clutch hits in pressure situations. It needs players who rise to the moment when elimination looms.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone predicted before the series that Judge would “have one where he goes crazy.” That breakout performance has not materialized. The clock is ticking.
Late rally offers little comfort
The Yankees showed some life late in Game 2. Judge rounded the bases on a Cody Bellinger home run that cut the deficit to 12-2 in the seventh inning. He scored again on a Giancarlo Stanton single that made it 13-7.
Those runs meant nothing in the grand scheme. The Blue Jays had already built an insurmountable lead. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. delivered a grand slam Sunday. He came through in the clutch. Judge has yet to provide that kind of moment for the Yankees.
“What’s been great for us all year long is just kind of pass the baton, kind of what we did there late in the game,” Judge said. “Got to keep that going.”
Backs against the wall
The Yankees now face elimination down 0-2 in the best-of-five series. History is not on their side. Teams that win Game 1 in a five-game series advance 72.4 percent of the time.
Rogers Centre has been a house of horrors for the Yankees all season. They lost seven of eight games at the venue during the regular season. The postseason has brought more of the same misery.
Judge insists the Yankees are not panicking. They have been in tough spots before. The regular season featured its share of adversity.
“We’ve been playing with our backs against the wall all year, so it’s nothing new,” Judge said.
True or not, the Yankees need their captain to step up. They need the player who dominated pitchers for six months to show up when it matters most. Two games remain to save their season. Maybe three if they can extend the series.
Judge has the talent. He has the track record of regular season excellence. What he needs now is that one big moment. One clutch hit. One game where everything clicks and the narrative changes.
The Yankees return home to the Bronx for Game 3 on Tuesday night. Their season hangs in the balance. So does Judge’s October legacy. Time is running out for both.
