Aaron Judge, captain of the New York Yankees, has been a powerhouse on the field, recently earning the Player of the Month award for his performance in August. However, despite his accolades, the slugger has hit a dry spell, going a week without a home run.
Fans have taken to social media, humorously referring to this slump as the “Paw Patrol Curse.” The joke has gained traction on platforms like X (formerly known as Twitter) and Reddit, where Yankees loyalists have compiled statistics during Aaron Judge’s brief skid.
The ‘Paw Patrol’ theory takes hold
The so-called curse stems from Aaron Judge’s appearance in an episode of Rubble & Crew, a spin-off of the popular children’s show PAW Patrol. According to this lighthearted theory, his recent cameo in the animated series has somehow affected his on-field performance.
In the episode that aired on August 26, Aaron Judge voiced himself as he participated in a home run derby. “As a proud dog dad, it was a blast to join Rubble and his friends in this adventure,” said Judge. “Through my foundation work, I understand the importance of reaching kids and teaching them the importance of teamwork. It was so fun to combine two things I’m passionate about — dogs and baseball — to deliver this valuable message.”
Yankees fans’ take: A curse or just a coincidence?
According to stats shared by Prospect Dugout, since the episode aired, Aaron Judge has struggled at the plate, hitting just .159 with a 42% strikeout rate.
Before Wednesday’s game, Aaron Judge’s post-Paw Patrol numbers were grim: in 27 at-bats, he had a .185 batting average with 5 hits, 5 walks, and 13 strikeouts—without a single home run.
When asked after the Yankees’ 14-6 loss about whether he felt the weight of each game as the season winds down, Aaron Judge remained unfazed. “No, each game means as much as it did on March 28. It’s all the same. Just because we have 22 left doesn’t mean anything to us. It’s about what we do for this next game.”
Whether the Paw Patrol appearance is truly to blame for Judge’s slump remains a lighthearted debate among fans, but Yankees supporters are hoping the power-hitting captain breaks the curse soon.
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