Aaron Judge’s Impact on Baseball

Aaron Judge stands out as one of the premier baseball players in the world.

His statistics are impressive. Over ten years in Major League Baseball, Judge has compiled a .294 batting average, 1.028 OPS, 179 OPS+, and 368 home runs. This year, he excelled, leading the league in several key categories including batting average and total bases.

Still, you don’t strictly need those stats to see his influence. Just visit a youth or high school baseball game and count how many players sport the number 99 on their jerseys. You might find yourself out of fingers and toes before you even hit the finals.

However, there’s one area that raises some questions about Judge’s legacy: his playoff performance. Specifically, it’s been a bit lacking. When the New York Yankees made it to the World Series last year, Judge managed a .184/.344/.408 line with three home runs over 14 games.

The Yankees narrowly missed their chance against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Throughout his illustrious career, Judge’s playoff OPS, including the current season, sits at .817—still quite good but lower than his regular season average. There are various explanations for this, but let’s be honest: in October, especially when you’re playing for the Yankees, the focus is largely on rings and success in high-pressure moments.

So, the big question is, can Judge enhance that part of his resume this October?

As they headed into Game 3 of the ALDS against the Toronto Blue Jays, the Yankees on the brink of elimination, Judge seemed to be shifting the narrative. Before facing the Blue Jays, he had an impressive 1.024 OPS along with eight hits in his first five playoff games, which was the best among all postseason players.

Yet, during Game 1, which the Yankees lost 10-1, Judge only managed one extra-base hit—a double.

In Game 2, the Yankees found themselves down 6-1 early, but Judge and the team pushed back, narrowing the gap to 6-3 by the third inning, thanks to Judge’s double and some smart running by the Yankees captain, allowing Giancarlo Stanton to advance to second.

With the Yankees closing in, Stanton went on to score later that inning.

Then came a crucial moment in the bottom of the fourth, one Yankees fans won’t forget soon. Toronto’s third baseman, Addison Berger, misplayed a pop-up, giving Austin Wells a chance to score, which gave the Yankees the lead with one out. Berger, a lefty, just couldn’t make the catch as he tracked the ball too far.

(A note to young outfielders: prioritize catching that ball over letting the infielder handle it!)

After a walk by Trent Grisham, Toronto’s manager brought in hard-throwing Lewis Berland to face Judge. Berland began with a 90 mph knuckle curve outside, which Judge fouled off, and then came a very fast fastball that caught Judge off guard with a strike.

Berland then unleashed what may have been his best pitch—99.7 mph on the inside corner—but somehow, Judge met it with an even better swing.

The “Ump Cam” view was definitely something to see.

As Judge stood at home plate, so did the anticipation from Yankees fans, both at the stadium and beyond. After what felt like ages, the ball found its way to the foul pole in left field, marking a three-run homer that tied the game at six.

The Bronx erupted.

New York won that night 9-6. If you’re into momentum, this surely worked in their favor. The next day, they’d pitch Cam Schlitter, who had impressed in a previous decisive game against the Boston Red Sox.

Toronto, meanwhile, was treating Game 4 like a “bullpen game.” Varland would start, but Schneider was poised to use all available pitchers.

As Game 4 approached, Judge had already made a notable impact this postseason with a .500/.577/.727 slash line.

If the Yankees clinch a win, they’ll head back to Toronto for a potential Game 5.

One of the game’s finest may very well solidify his legacy while steering his team forward.