Aaron Judge's remarkable 2022 season has not slowed down one bit. The superstar outfielder is well on his way to securing his first-ever MVP award and putting his name among the best home run-hitting seasons of all time.
Judge got to 45 home runs quicker than all but four players in MLB history and is now up to 46 long balls and an OPS of 1.088 on the season, both of which lead all hitters. He has a career-high OPS, batting average (.302) and slugging percentage (.688) and is well on his way to new heights in hits, home runs, RBI and more. The Yankees slugger has always been a great player but how is he able to reach this level of dominance?
A veteran MLB scout told Jon Heyman of the New York Post that Aaron Judge's plate approach is much better and consistent, which has allowed him to tear up the 2022 campaign.“He’s become more selective, and less streaky at the plate,” the scout said. “He always showed periods of this, but now the periods are longer.”
Compared to the last few full seasons, Judge has done a fantastic job of getting his bat's barrel on the ball more, increasing his launch angle, trimming his strikeout rate and bumping his walk rate up from last season. His sizable lead on the home run leaderboard is the crown jewel in his MVP case and is a key reason why the Yankees have been among the best teams in MLB this season.
Whether the Yankees triggered a revenge-tour mindset within Aaron Judge after failing to extend him or not, they are the beneficiaries of one of the best seasons ever. Although they are slumping recently, they are still a very deep team and should get mostly healthy before the postseason. Judge might add a championship to his legendary 2022 season.
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