World Series 2024: Aaron Judge's postseason history doesn't point to a favorable turnaround for the Yankees

NEW YORK – Aaron Judge is the best hitter in baseball and in a few weeks he will win his second AL MVP award in three seasons. When he's on, it's an absolute nightmare for opposing pitchers to watch him walk to the batter's box.

Unfortunately, since the calendar changed from September to October and the Yankees needed him most, Judge has been largely absent. When the Yankees return to the Bronx, Judge must wake up or they will see their season come to a bitter end in the World Series against the Dodgers.

The Yankees captain is struggling as his team faces a 2-0 series deficit, and it appears that baseball's all-time leader in home runs has started to apply the pressure.

“I definitely have to improve. I have to do my job,” Judge told reporters after Game 2. “The guys here do their job and get on base. I let her down and (don't) support her. We have to turn things around.”

Judge didn't have an October to remember fondly: He hit .150 (6-for-40) with two home runs, seven walks and a whopping 19 strikeouts. Swing-and-miss has always been a part of Judge's game, and he had 171 strikeouts, putting together one of the best seasons ever for a right-handed hitter.

The problem is that these strikeouts this postseason are not accompanied by the tremendous power and 1.159 OPS that Judge had during the regular season.

The thing about Judge is that when he's active, it's nearly impossible to pick him out in the strike zone. The only hope a pitcher usually has is for Judge to extend the zone. And in October it expands significantly more than in the regular season.

“Look, I think swing decisions are part of it. I think everyone's different when it comes to how they get loaded and get started and be on time and then the momentum comes out,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said after his team's 4-2 loss Saturday in Game 2. “…when I was asked about Anthony (Rizzo), what's different about him in the playoffs? He's getting into a good rhythm and is now in a strong position to make good swing decisions.

“That’s what batting is ultimately about. It's about getting in the best position to make a good swing decision, but also being in a strong position to execute a good swing. Everyone is different in how they do it, and I think (Judge) is working through that a little bit.”

The Dodgers did a good job of putting Judge in the lead, and after giving him two strikeouts, be it Yoshinobu Yamamoto's splitter, Jack Flaherty's curveball or Blake Treinen's sweeper, Judge went down with momentum.

One of the things that makes Judge's problems even more frustrating is that Gleyber Torres (.389 OBP) and Juan Soto (.460 OBP) have both done great jobs getting on base and for both Judge and Giancarlo Stanton have set the table.

What's worse is that such October problems are not uncommon for Judge. In 55 career postseason games, he owned a .199/.304/.436 slash line with 15 home runs, and he recorded a strikeout in more than 40% of his 211 postseason at-bats.

As Judge and the Yankees prepare for Game 3 on Monday, the time for baseball clichés is over. Yes, hitting a baseball is very difficult and pitching in the postseason is even better than in the regular season. But the reality is that the New York Yankees won't win the World Series if their captain plays like he does. And now, as they face a 2-0 deficit in the series, that pressure only increases.

“It definitely eats at you,” Judge said. “You want to contribute and help the team, but that’s why you have to keep working and keep going. I can't sit here and feel sorry for myself.

“Nobody feels sorry for me.”