Judge’s Performance Under Scrutiny in Postseason Play

On July 25th, Judge Aaron experienced flexor tension in his right elbow, indicating that his arms still aren’t fully healed.

Since his return to right field, there’s been speculation about whether the opposing teams would target him, particularly during the playoffs.

Every throw he makes is analyzed closely, yet it’s clear that the judging skills are apt for the postseason, especially given how much he’s improved over the past two months.

On Tuesday, the Yankees got a glimpse of what Judge’s arm could mean for their playoff aspirations, as Nick Sogard sprinted to second base after connecting with a hit in the Yankees’ 3-1 victory in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series.

The ball landed in center-right, and Judge seemed a bit tentative as he chased it down before making a throw to Anthony Volpe at second base.

Yoshida, the next batter and a pinch hitter, knocked a two-run single off Luke Weaver, changing the game’s momentum.

Judge’s throw clocked in at just 73 mph, which Statcast noted was significantly lower than his usual range of 88-90 mph.

When asked about the difficulty of making the throw, Judge remarked, “[I was] just trying to get there and have fun. I didn’t want to overthrow it.”

Even Judge praised Sogard, admitting he was the quickest he’s ever seen getting to second from home. “He was fast. He really made it.”

Manager Aaron Boone added a brief commentary about Judge’s throw, acknowledging, perhaps, that it wasn’t quite his peak performance. It makes you wonder: would Sogard have made it to scoring position if Judge was fully powered?

Boston’s manager, Alex Cora, confirmed that running at Judge was part of their game strategy.

“It’s all about preparation,” Cora stated. “We discuss their outfielders and what their weaknesses are. Sogard saw the opportunity and went for it.”

The Yankees have little choice but to rely on Judge, especially with Giancarlo Stanton stuck at DH. Judge had a few singles but, unfortunately, the rest of the lineup couldn’t rise to the challenge against Boston in the seventh inning.

In the midst of a critical lineup, Judge commented on the need to keep pushing forward. “We need to keep playing our game and get back on track. We just have to snag some wins.”