Judge’s Journey: From MVP to the World Series, and Beyond
Aaron Judge, the legendary Yankees slugger, has achieved remarkable feats in his nine seasons in the MLB. With three MVP Awards under his belt, he joins an elite group of Yankees legends like Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle. Judge’s home run prowess is unparalleled, having hit 60 or more homers in a season, a feat only Babe Ruth and Roger Maris had achieved before him. Furthermore, he is one of only four players in baseball history to hit 50 or more home runs in a season four times.
However, there’s a list Judge wants to keep off his record as soon as possible, perhaps even next season when he turns 34. This list includes the names of Ted Williams, Ken Griffey Jr., Ernie Banks, and Barry Bonds, among other Hall of Famers like Tony Gwynn and Rod Carew. The list represents the greatest baseball players who never played on a World Series winner.
Despite his impressive statistics, Judge’s team has yet to win a World Series. In the past, he set a record as the first rookie to hit 50 or more homers in a season in 2017. Last year, he finally made it to the World Series, but the Yankees only won one game against the Dodgers. This year, they tied the Blue Jays for the most wins in the American League but managed to win only one game against the Blue Jays in the AL Division Series, despite Judge’s dramatic home run in Game 3.
Despite his team’s underperformance, Judge’s individual performance in the postseason has been stellar. He hit .600 with a .684 on-base percentage, .933 slugging, and 1.618 OPS, with nine hits across four games. Before that, he hit .364 against the Red Sox in a three-game Wild Card Series. Judge’s October performance has been a stark contrast to his regular-season struggles, where he often failed to meet his high standards.
Judge’s post-game comments reveal his team-oriented mindset. He expressed disappointment in letting his teammates and fans down, especially those who might be playing in their last season with the team. He also emphasized the need to “turn the page” and clean up a few things to get back on track.
The Yankees have consistently made the postseason in recent years, with eight of the past 10 seasons ending in the ALCS or the World Series. However, they have yet to be the best team, with a 27-25 record against the AL East and only winning records against three of the other 11 playoff teams. The team’s performance against top-tier opponents needs improvement.
Judge’s desire to win a World Series is clear, and he has the potential to make history. With the likes of Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts already having World Series titles, Judge is determined to create his own October legacy. As Yogi Berra once said, “It gets late early out there,” and for Judge, that means it’s time to make his mark in Yankee Stadium.