Aaron Judge: A Season to Remember
As the baseball season reaches its climax, Aaron Judge, the captain of the New York Yankees, continues to etch his name into the annals of the sport with a spectacular performance that leaves even seasoned analysts in awe. Judge's phenomenal statistics speak volumes about his dominance, as he leads the league in home runs, RBIs, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and WAR.
By August 26, Judge was boasting an extraordinary batting line of .333/.465/.736, with 51 home runs and 122 RBIs. "I'm kinda running out of words to say. You're witnessing greatness. You really are. He's just kinda better than everyone," said Manager Aaron Boone, encapsulating the sentiment of many in the baseball community.
With 31 games remaining in the season, the projections for Judge are staggering. He is on pace to achieve 101 extra-base hits and 418 total bases, feats that have been accomplished only 13 times in baseball history. Additionally, Judge is projected to finish the season with 63 home runs, surpassing his own career high of 62 set in 2022.
Judge's journey this season has been a testament to his resilience and adaptability. By April 23, his batting line was a modest .174/.308/.337, far from the elite numbers expected of him. Yet, since then, he has turned his season around, maintaining an OPS of 1.328 in the 106 games following that date.
At the heart of Judge's success is his exceptional power and consistency. He has homered seven times in his last six games and 19 times in the last 36. This power surge not only cements his position as a leading slugger but also highlights his ability to perform under pressure. As Judge himself puts it, “I got to this point trying to be a good hitter and a good teammate, so that’s what I’m going to try to do. I feel like if I can do that, we can look up at the end of the year, and I think the numbers will be where they’re supposed to be.”
Judge's performance is even more impressive considering the historical context. Only 15 players have ever recorded 100 extra-base hits in a season, and just 29 have reached 400 total bases. His achievements put him in the rarefied company of legends, and his projected totals further solidify his status as one of the game's greats.
Despite Judge's prodigious power, his approach at the plate is far from one-dimensional. In at-bats that don't result in home runs, he maintains a .250 batting average, coupled with a remarkable .413 on-base percentage. These numbers underscore his ability to contribute in multiple ways, enhancing his value to the Yankees.
Yet, like all players, Judge has areas to improve. His strikeout rate this season is 23.4%, slightly above the MLB average of 22.4%, though it is a marked improvement from his 30.7% strikeout rate in his rookie season in 2017. This reduction in strikeouts is indicative of his ongoing refinement as a hitter.
Judge's achievements this season could place him in the same breath as some of the greatest right-handed hitters in history. Rogers Hornsby's 1924 season had a remarkable 222 OPS+, and both Hornsby and Jimmie Foxx are the only right-handers to boast two seasons with an OPS+ of over 200. Judge's 210 OPS+ in 2022 positions him among these legends, and he is on pace to replicate, if not surpass, this performance.
In his role as captain, Judge has had the platoon advantage in only 26% of his plate appearances. This statistic highlights his ability to perform regardless of the pitcher's handedness, further cementing his status as one of the premier sluggers in the league.
As the season draws to a close, the baseball world watches eagerly to see if Aaron Judge will continue to redefine the limits of what a player can achieve. His powerful yet nuanced approach at the plate, combined with his leadership qualities, make him a pivotal figure not just for the Yankees but for the sport itself.