Aaron Judge appeared to exorcise his playoff demons last October, but he finds himself under relentless scrutiny again amid his struggles in the World Baseball Classic championship. The Team USA captain and New York Yankees superstar has yet to make an imprint against Venezuela, as a stunning upset looms large.

The United States' loaded lineup had been painfully quiet versus Venezuelan pitching, mustering only two hits through the first seven innings of play. While there is plenty of blame to go around, Judge is obviously held to a higher standard. When a three-time MVP and generational hitter once again stumbles in a big game, fans are going to speak their mind.

Social media is oozing with sarcasm during No. 99's unproductive outing. “Aaron Judge coming up short in a winner-take-all game? Who could have seen that coming except everyone,” @jack_kinsman quipped on X. The hits just kept coming, but not in the batter's box. Memes are flooding the internet, as the 33-year-old right fielder continues to draw criticism for his performance.

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Judge is 0-for-4 with three strikeouts at time of print. He has not hit the ball into the outfield during this title showdown. Bryce Harper resuscitated Team USA with a game-tying two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning, but his fellow future Hall of Famer was unable to keep the momentum going.

When the United States fell to Italy earlier in the WBC, Judge's scuffles in the clutch took center stage. Representing the tying run, he struck out versus Greg Weissert. He is faltering yet again. Only this time, he may not get another chance to bounce back.

Team USA trails Venezuela in the final frame. Barring another American surge and extra innings, Judge has logged his final plate appearance of the 2026 World Baseball Classic.