As the New York Yankees slid 4-2 down in Game 2 of the ALDS against Kansas City Royals on Monday, the focus shifted on captain Aaron Judge, who went down with another underwhelming night. Judge went 1-for-3 on the plate, thus extending his bizarre run in the postseason.
The 1-1 split ALDS series will now shoot to Kansas as the New York Yankees aim for a critical lead. However, to accomplish that, the team will need its captain, Aaron Judge, at his best. Meanwhile, following another bad October outing, Judge accepted his shortcomings and vowed to turn things around in the remainder of the series.
Aaron Judge Wants To Hit 1.000 After Two Bad Outings
Aaron Judge stands among the greatest Yankees in regular-season history, his name evoking comparisons to legends like Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig, and Yogi Berra. With records like his 62 home runs in 2022 and his 58-homer season in 2024, Judge is cemented as a “Forever Yankee. However, his postseason struggles paint a different picture, particularly with his alarming strikeout rate. After a Game 2 ALDS loss to the Royals, where Aaron Judge went 1-for-3 with an infield single, his postseason strikeout rate climbed to 33.4%, the second-highest in playoff history among batters with 200 plate appearances. Despite Judge’s regular-season dominance, his postseason performances, such as going 1-for-7 in this series with four strikeouts, have yet to meet the same standard.
Meanwhile, Aaron Judge is aware of his own responsibility and the expectations placed on him. “If I’m not hitting 1.000, I’m not feeling good. Just gotta keep getting on base for the guys behind me. If they get on, I gotta drive ’em in,” he admitted. While the Yankees as a team have struggled with timely hitting, going 3-for-19 with runners in scoring position, the postseason weight on Judge’s shoulders is undeniable. For all his regular-season accolades, Judge has yet to deliver the postseason heroics that define Yankee legends like Mantle and Jeter. His career postseason slash line of .206/.307/.451 over seven series, combined with his more recent struggles, creates a stark contrast to his regular-season brilliance. Yet, Judge has the chance to rewrite this narrative with every at-bat. However, time is running out, as both Judge and the Yankees need a postseason breakthrough.
Yankees To Field Clarke Schmidt For Game 3 Of ALDS
The New York Yankees are turning to Clarke Schmidt as their Game 3 starter in the ALDS against the Kansas City Royals, regardless of the outcome in Game 2. Yankees manager Aaron Boone is confident that Schmidt is the “right man for the job,” as reported by Chris Kirschner of The Athletic.
Schmidt has had a strong 2024 season, with a 2.85 ERA across 16 starts, striking out 93 batters while walking 30. Despite a few concerning recent outings, where he allowed three or more runs in his last three starts, Schmidt was consistently effective earlier in the season. While his postseason experience is limited, Boone’s confidence in him remains high.
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