New York Yankees star Aaron Judge carries the burden of expectation into another October. The Yankees slugger has become the face of the franchise, but his postseason resume lags far behind his regular-season dominance. Much like Barry Bonds in the early part of his career, Judge has faced constant criticism for failing to deliver when it matters most. In the MLB postseason, Judge owns a .205 batting average with a .768 OPS and a 33 percent strikeout rate across 262 plate appearances. Those numbers pale in comparison to his .294 average and 1.028 OPS in the regular season. With the Yankees pushing for a World Series, his struggles are again under the spotlight.
The comparisons to postseason legends are unavoidable. Many great players faced years of criticism before finally delivering on the biggest stage. Judge now finds himself in that same position, carrying the weight of expectations that only grow heavier with each October.
His task begins immediately. In Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series, he faces left-hander Garrett Crochet, who has held him to just three hits in 15 at-bats, though two went for homers. Game 2 does not offer relief. Righty Brayan Bello has limited Judge to two hits in 21 at-bats with six walks and no home runs. The matchups highlight how slim postseason margins can be, and how quickly small samples can magnify struggles.
Still, context matters. Over the past four seasons, Judge has produced three of the greatest campaigns by a right-handed hitter in MLB history. He powered the Yankees to the league lead in runs and home runs this year. For many, those achievements set a higher standard. October is the proving ground. Another postseason flop would intensify the criticism that Judge cannot deliver when it matters most.
A monster October, capped with a World Series championship, would silence the doubts and erase years of frustration. Barry Bonds once rewrote his October story with a dominant 2002 run, and Judge has the chance to follow that path.
Will this be the MLB postseason where Aaron Judge finally conquers October and joins the game’s legends?
