The New York Yankees need Aaron Judge to be at his finest if they want to win their 28th World Series this year. But things have not been going in favor of the NY side’s captain. Last year was really bad for the AL 2022 MVP and the whole team. Most importantly, the team did not make the postseason. They failed to do so for the first time since 2016. Moreover, they finished with an awful 82-80 record. It turned out to be the worst season for the Bronx Bombers in their last 30 years. On top of that, Aaron Judge sustained a severe toe injury after a freak accident at the Los Angeles Dodgers fence.
Later, it turned out that the AL 2022 MVP had suffered a severe torn ligament. As a result, he was out for 35 games in almost two months. That was a huge blow for the Yankees. Coming to 2024, things did not start well for the Bomber’s captain, as he hurt his abs during Spring Training. As a result, he could not stay healthy and play a lot of games in spring training. Perhaps all these issues led to his slow start to the ongoing season.
Slow Start Of Aaron Judge Is Raising A Lot Of Eyebrows
After the slow start to the 2024 season, the Yankees captain is under the microscope. When he broke the Home run record in the American League back in 2022, it seemed very promising for the future of the NY side to make him the new captain. Not only did the Yankees make Aaron Judge their new captain after Derek Jeter, but he was also their only superstar slugger going to the next season. Judge won the AL MVP after that season despite a tough competition from Shohei Ohtani. But he could not expect how bad things would get since 2023. Prior to the Spring Training this year, Aaron Judge mentioned in a press conference that the toe injury he sustained last year would need constant maintenance until the day he hangs his boots.
Later, he missed a lot of games in the Spring Training. As a result, it seems pretty clear that he is not totally match ready. But the concern for the team is that their offense is faltering gradually as the captain is not at his best. Moreover, Judge is currently playing in his second year of a nine-year contract worth $360 million. And the results have not been great by Judge’s standards so far this season. Later, on Monday, the home crowd booed Aaron Judge as he was the final out in the Yankees’ 2-0 loss against the Oakland A’s.
Why The Yankees Offense Is Faltering?
Clearly, the NY side has one of the most lethal offenses in the league this year. Moreover, a lineup with Aaron Judge and Juan Soto is right up there on people’s wishlists to see from the stands. The Yankees have done well since the start of the season so far, which is why they are still on top of the AL East division. However, the Baltimore Orioles are a very close second.
But at times, the Yankees’ offense looked like it was faltering, especially in the series against the nine-time champions, the Oakland Athletics. On Monday, they lost 2-0. Neither Soto nor Judge could do anything about it. Later, on Tuesday, thanks to Anthony Rizzo’s home run, the Yankees gained a healthy lead and eventually won. But all that lead came in the first inning. Later, the offense somehow seemed like it was falling asleep. Hence, something is clearly wrong with that at present.
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