Aaron Judge has won numerous awards, yet the trophy that matters most in the Yankees’ universe has eluded him.
In 2017, Judge took home the American League’s Rookie of the Year and a Silver Slugger, but he and the Yanks fell a game shy of the World Series. In 2022, Judge reset the American League’s single-season home run record and claimed his first MVP. Once again, he and the Yankees watched the Fall Classic from home.
This season, Judge positioned himself as the clear-cut frontrunner for a second MVP following a monstrous campaign that eclipsed his 2022 performance. He led the majors with 58 home runs, 144 RBI, a .458 on-base percentage and a .701 slugging percentage. He is the first player to finish a season with a slugging percentage over .700 since Barry Bonds accomplished the feat in 2004, and his 218 wRC+ is the highest ever for a right-handed hitter.
Aaron Judge has officially finished 2024 with the 7th best offensive season in the history of Major League Baseball pic.twitter.com/5LHuI5Asef
— Addison (@YankeeWRLD) September 29, 2024
“He makes it look easy,” said Giancarlo Stanton, the 2017 National League MVP.
“He’s so consistent,” added Anthony Rizzo, who won a World Series with the Cubs’ curse-breaking team in 2016.
The question now is whether that consistency will continue into the playoffs as Judge chases a championship of his own. Fair or not, counting rings is the first step in determining the legacy of a Yankees great, and Judge’s fingers are bare as he readies for his seventh postseason.
“I want to win,” Judge told the Daily News when asked about the impact a championship would have on his standing among franchise icons. “That’s why I play. It’s why I try to make improvements and put this team in the best position every single year. It’s about winning a World Series. Some people win them early in their career. Some people win them in the middle of their career. Some people win them at the very end of their career. So there’s a lot of unknown, but that’s what motivates me every single year to go out there.
“You never know what the year is going to entail. Are you going to get booed in April? Are you gonna have a great year to start and have a rough finish? You just never know what’s going to happen.”
With the Yankees awaiting the start of the American League Division Series, Aaron Boone fielded a similar question.
The manager believes that Judge is already an all-time Yankee. However, a parade down the Canyon of Heroes could put the captain in the pinstriped pantheon.
“I think there’s no question he’s one of the franchise’s greatest players, but he’s playing for that,” Boone said. “That’s why he does this, not to rack up the personal accolades. So he embodies that. He lives that. And that’s what we’re all working to get to. And I’m sure winning it all would certainly add a level to his legacy.”
After such an impactful season, the Yankees will rely heavily on Judge as they look to end a championship drought that dates back to 2009. However, the slugger hasn’t always been at his best on the big stage, though his power has always remained a factor.
In 2022, Judge hit .139/.184/.306 with two home runs and three RBI over nine playoff games. He has a .183/.271/.356 slash line, six home runs and 10 RBI in his last four postseasons, a span that includes 26 games.
Overall, Judge has 13 homers and 25 RBI over 44 playoff games, but he’s been a .211/.310/.462 hitter with 25 walks and 66 strikeouts.
After missing the playoffs in 2023, Judge now has a chance to improve his postseason stats. A long run would give him more opportunities – and a shot at the title that’s missing from his résumé.
“I can’t wait,” Judge said. “It’s a long offseason. I don’t like sitting around in October.”
