New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge Hitting Near-Career Low As Concerns Mount

If Cole returns as even a moderate version of his former self, that could give the Yankees a significant boost. It would be another sign that their rotation is ready to propel a deep run into the postseason.

But even if one franchise player returns healthy and effective, there are growing concerns around another.

“When Aaron Judge hits in the first inning of Friday night’s Yankees-Rays game at Yankee Stadium, his sinking batting average will be displayed next to his headshot on the center field video board,” Randy Miller wrote for NJ.com. “It’s down to .250 after a hitless Thursday night in the Yankees’ 2-0 loss to the Blue Jays.”

Of course, a .250 batting average is actually a few points higher than the big-league average. But by Judge’s standards, it is a reason for concern. Last year, he batted .331 en route to his third-career MVP Award. A .250 average would be the lowest mark of his career since his rookie season.

“Well, I’m not doing nothing at the plate,” Judge said in response to his ongoing slump, according to Miller.

New York Yankees’ Aaron Boone Offers 5-Word Response On Aaron Judge Concerns

And the Yankees acknowledged that the franchise slugger is going through a slump when manager Aaron Boone sent a five-word response:

“Some fastballs got on him,” Boone explained, per Miller, noting a very rare performance when Judge was fooled by the high-velocity offerings from opposing pitchers. “He’s a little out in front of some other pitches. Usually anytime a hitter goes through it a little bit, it’s a little timing related.”

By explaining Judge’s slump as being timing related, Boone attempted to dismiss any larger concerns about the franchise slugger. But as the Yankees look to recapture their offensive momentum against a rival running away with the division, they’ll have to hope the reigning MVP can solve that problem quickly.