Yankees star Aaron Judge shrugs off slow start and vows to ‘stay focused’

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Following the New York Yankees’ 6-4 triumph over the Toronto Blue Jays, star outfielder Aaron Judge addressed his recent struggles at the plate in an interview with the YES Network. Despite playing a pivotal role in securing the victory, Judge acknowledged his disappointing start to the 2024 season, hitting just .189 through his first 19 games.

“If there’s a bad call or you take a bad swing, you’ve just got to move on to the next pitch and be ready for that next opportunity,” Aaron Judge said in an interview with Meredith Marakovits right after the winning over the Blue Jays on Wednesday. “Throughout the game, there were spots where I should have gotten the job done, but it’s about moving on and making the most of your next chance. All innings, our guys were having great at-bats, so it was my time to step up and deliver.”

“It’s been a tough go of it so far, no doubt about it,” Judge said. “But that’s baseball – you’re going to have your ups and downs over the course of a long season. The key is to stay focused, trust the process, and keep grinding.”

Aaron Judge emphasizes teamwork and resilience

Aaron Judge emphasized the importance of mutual trust and determination among his Yankee teammates, noting the resilience and grit he sees in the clubhouse every day. “It’s about confidence in each other,” he remarked. “We’ve got a great group of guys here who are always picking each other up, no matter what’s happening on the field.”

Reflecting on his recent performance, which included a 0-for-8 showing with four strikeouts in the first two games against Toronto, Aaron Judge stressed the significance of seizing opportunities in the moment. “What counts is now,” he said. “Whether you’ve had a good game or a bad one before, a single swing can change everything. So it’s essential that I keep trusting my approach and taking my cuts.”

Aaron Judge’s stats

Aaron Judge’s slow start to the Yankees‘ 2024 season has raised some concerns among fans. Through the first few weeks of the year, his batting average has dipped well below the Mendoza line, a symbolic threshold that indicates a player is struggling mightily at the plate.

The numbers back up the perception of Aaron Judge’s early-season struggles. In 2024 so far, the star slugger has managed just 3 home runs, 23 hits, and 7 runs scored. While those totals don’t completely tank his overall production, they pale in comparison to the eye-popping numbers he has put up in recent seasons.

Perhaps most worrisome is the fact that Aaron Judge has only hit 1 home run in his last 7 games. For a player of his caliber, who has consistently been one of the game’s premier power hitters, that kind of power outage is quite abnormal.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone is similarly confident that Judge will turn things around sooner rather than later. “It’s only a matter of time before he really gets going,” Boone said. “His advanced metrics are still really strong, and we all know how quickly he can get hot and start dominating opposing pitchers.”

As the Yankees continue their season, all eyes will be on Aaron Judge as he looks to rediscover the prodigious power that has made him one of the game’s most feared hitters. With the unwavering support of his teammates and the organization, the slugger remains determined to overcome his early-season struggles and lead his team to success.

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