Baseball is full of highs and lows, and Aaron Judge has recently been experiencing a significant dip. However, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone isn’t concerned about his star player’s current struggles.
Following the Yankees’ 2-1 defeat to the Chicago Cubs on Sunday, a reporter highlighted Judge’s ongoing 12-game homer drought and asked Boone for his thoughts. Boone acknowledged that while Judge, at 32, is slightly out of sync, he expects him to return to form soon.
“I saw a few well-hit balls today,” Boone said. “He might have missed a couple of pitches that, when he’s fully locked in, he usually drives out of the park. It’s just a matter of time before he starts hitting them in bunches. He’s not far off.”
Just weeks ago, Judge was on track to set a career high with 63 home runs. However, achieving that now seems unlikely, as he would need to hit 12 homers in the remaining 19 games of the season—an ambitious goal even for the 6-foot-7 outfielder.
Judge’s recent struggles extend beyond power; his batting average over the last 15 games has dropped to .208/.364/.434. This slump has impacted his chances in the batting title race, which could have given him a shot at a triple crown. On August 21, Judge was hitting .334 compared to Bobby Witt Jr.’s .350. Witt has since slightly improved to .336, while Judge has fallen to .321.
Although Judge’s downturn might have dimmed his personal achievements, it could prove advantageous for the team. The Yankees are clinging to a half-game lead in the AL East, and if Judge heats up soon, his power could be just what they need to secure the division title.