It’s been an awesome start for the New York Yankees, but Aaron Judge cannot say the same for himself.
The Yankees are 14-7 on the young season, and Juan Soto has been as advertised, but their $360 million man is in a prolonged slump, and fans are worried.
Judge, the 2022 AL MVP with a record-breaking 62-home run season that year, struck out four times Saturday in the Yanks’ 2-0, 10-inning loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, dropping his batting average to .179.
It seemed like Judge was going to break out earlier this week. He hit a game-winning, two-run single in the ninth inning Wednesday against the Toronto Blue Jays. But that apparently was an outlier.
Judge is still walking at a solid rate. He’s in the 99th percentile in walk rate. He’s also not chasing bad pitches (91st percentile). But he’s struggled to put the ball in play.
But there are over 130 games to go, and, unlike most Yankees fans, Judge knows patience is key.
“It’s still early. It’s a long season,” he said. “Just missing the pitch. Get a pitch in the zone, I gotta capitalize on it.”
They’re just 24 games into the season, but greatness is expected — almost demanded — by Yankees fans.
