The Yankees as a whole have been trending in the wrong direction as of late, but it’s their captain who is in the rarest of slumps.
Aaron Judge has tallied just one RBI and holds an OPS of .619 over his last 13 games, his worst marks in those categories in such a span, according to Katie Sharp.
As Judge has struggled, the Yankees have fallen further behind the Rays in the AL East in this 13-game span with their 4-9 mark leaving them 4 1/2 games back entering Friday’s series opener in The Bronx.
While the losses cannot be blamed solely on Judge’s recent slump, the team’s top-heavy lineup has exacerbated the issue since the Yankees aren’t getting production from several notable position.
“I’m not doing enough at the plate,” Judge said after going 0-for-4 in the 2-0 home loss to the Blue Jays on Thursday night. “That’s what we’re doing right there. I wouldn’t say we’re not seeing the ball well. I think it’s about making sure we’re swinging at the right pitches.”
Judge particularly struggled in this recent four-game home split with the Blue Jays, going 1-for-15 with eight strikeouts and one walk.
While the struggles may concern some fans, manager Aaron Boone is confident that the MVP slugger will bounce back.
Judge is slashing .191/.321/.298 in this stretch with 19 strikeouts in 47 at-bats.
“He’s just going through it a little bit right now,” Boone said.
“Usually, that means good things are coming on the other side. He’s a little in-between, probably. Fastballs got on him, and he was a little out in front of some other pitches.”
Aside from the batting struggles, the bullpen has struggled recently with the relievers being tagged with a loss in four of these defeats.
The Yankees now prepare for a critical weekend with the AL East-leading Rays in town for a three-game set.
Ace Gerrit Cole returns to the mound Friday night for the first time since October 2024.
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If there was ever a time for Judge to break out of the slump, this weekend would be perfect timing as the Yankees try to stay within striking distance of the Rays.