Aaron Judge’s homer streak halts at 13: How it’s affecting the Yankees’ playoff push
Amanda Paula
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The New York Yankees ended Tuesday with a disappointing 5-0 loss to the Kansas City Royals, but to make matters worse, Aaron Judge failed to hit a home run for the 13th consecutive game. This is the longest home run drought for Judge since 2019, putting him just three games away from matching a personal record.
Yankees fans frustrated as Aaron Judge’s home run drought continues
Many fans have expressed their frustration with manager Aaron Boone, criticizing his cautious strategy during the team’s struggles in August and September. Some have even joked about his bad luck, pointing out that he hasn’t had much success since he coincidentally appeared in an episode of Paw Patrol.
Since August 1, the Yankees have posted a 17-18 record, further fueling concerns among the fanbase. Adding to the anxiety is Judge’s recent slump. Before Tuesday’s game, hopes of him matching or surpassing his American League single-season record of 62 homers, set in 2022, have seemed increasingly distant.
Since hitting two home runs on August 25, Aaron Judge has gone 13 games without a homer—the longest stretch of this season. Prior to Tuesday, the August AL Player of the Month had been batting just .163 (7-for-43) during that span, with three doubles, three RBIs, 10 walks (two intentional), and 18 strikeouts.
Aaron Judge, who currently sits at 51 home runs, needs 12 more in the final 17 games of the regular season to surpass his personal best from 2022. To reach that goal, he’ll need to average almost one home run per game, a daunting but not impossible task.
In Sunday’s game, with a runner on second, Aaron Judge grounded out to third base with first base open against Jameson Taillon. Boone remains optimistic, though, saying, “He’s probably missed a couple of pitches that, when he’s really rolling, end up in the seats,” adding that Judge is “not far off at all” from his usual 2024 form.
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