Toronto – Both teams field 26 players, and throughout each game, countless pitches are made. There’s a complex web of dynamics that ultimately impacts whether the Yankees or Blue Jays clinch victory.
In simpler terms, consider this: on Sunday, the Blue Jays’ star, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., stepped up with the bases loaded and delivered a Grand Slam. Conversely, on Saturday, the Yankees’ own standout, Aaron Judge, faced a similar situation but couldn’t quite convert.
These were just two games, albeit odd ones for Judge.
He isn’t necessarily at the center of the issue, and he’s certainly hitting. Yet, it seems like the top players in the league just haven’t been able to propel the team, at least not like they did earlier in the season.
In Game 1, Judge had a costly opportunity but ended up with some missed chances and a few singles. Game 2 saw him getting hits, but only after the Blue Jays already gained a hefty lead.
Every postseason performance by Judge could become a notable part of his legacy, considering he’s viewed as one of the best hitters of this generation. He stands to possibly win his third AL MVP in five years. This season, he’s had an impressive 53 home runs, boasting a triple crown-worthy slash line.
Looking at the stats, Judge has been swinging well this postseason. Across five games against the Red Sox and Blue Jays, he’s tallied 8 hits out of 18 at-bats (.444) with two walks.
However, it’s worth mentioning that his only extra-base hit was a double. Not the most outstanding figures considering one of his runs came from a dropped fly ball by Boston’s Jarren Duran, which reduced the Yankees’ deficit to 13-3 on Sunday.
Judge even scored the first two runs in Sunday’s playoff clash, closing the gap of Cody Bellinger’s home run to 12-2. His run off Giancarlo Stanton’s single pushed the score to 13-7, but overall, he’s just not producing enough for the Yankees’ needs.
This trend persisted into Game 2, where Judge walked in the first inning, which turned out to be the only time the Yankees got on base against pitcher Trey Yeager.
When he came to bat again in the fourth, he faced a full count, ultimately falling victim to his fourth strikeout this October. By the time he got his next chance on the sixth, it felt like the game was already out of reach.
There have been noticeable hiccups in his fielding too. Judge, who’s been nursing a flexor strain, made a costly error during the postseason, letting a crucial extra base slip against the Red Sox.
In the past six postseason games, he’s made two errors; that’s double what he had in the last four regular-season games, which is certainly not ideal.
During the game, Daulton Varsho managed to perfect a shot over Ben Rice’s head. Judge attempted to catch it off the wall, but a miscommunication allowed the ball to slip past him, enabling Varsho to reach third base.
Ultimately, it didn’t alter the game’s outcome much; a two-run homer followed immediately from Ernie Clement on the first pitch he faced from Max Fried.
