Aaron Judge's Stellar Season Sheds Light on His Brilliance
In the realm of baseball, greatness is often a fleeting achievement, visible for a season or perhaps two, before receding into the annals of history. Yet, in 2023, Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees is redefining what it means to be a contemporary baseball legend. As of August 26, Judge is illustrating a remarkable .333/.465/.736 batting line, accompanied by 51 home runs and 122 RBIs. Those numbers are more than just impressive; they are a testament to his dominance in the sport.
“I'm kinda running out of words to say. You're witnessing greatness. You really are. He's just kinda better than everyone,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone aptly summarized. Indeed, the statistics bear out Boone’s assessment. Judge leads the league in home runs, RBIs, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and Wins Above Replacement (WAR).
With only 31 games remaining in the season, Judge is on pace to achieve historic feats. He is projected to achieve 101 extra-base hits and 418 total bases, benchmarks reached only 13 times in baseball history. This exclusive club of extraordinary seasons includes legends who have executed this rare combination.
Judge's prowess at the plate is not confined to mere numbers. He has homered seven times in his last six games and 19 times in his last 36. This recent surge puts him on track for an impressive 63 home runs this season, further solidifying his place among baseball's elite. For context, Judge hit a record 62 home runs last season and smashed 52 in his outstanding rookie season in 2017.
But Judge’s performance is about more than power. His batting average stands at .250 in at-bats that don't culminate in home runs, and he maintains a remarkable .413 on-base percentage in those scenarios. Though his start to the season was unremarkable, with a batting line of .174/.308/.337 by April 23, Judge has since rebounded spectacularly, posting an OPS of 1.328 in the 106 games following that date.
Throughout his career, Judge’s evolution as a hitter is apparent when evaluating his strikeout rates. Much of Judge’s early career, including his 2017 rookie campaign, was marred by a high strikeout rate of 30.7%. Over time, he has honed his approach, reducing his strikeout rate to 25.1% in 2022 and further down to 23.4% this season—barely above the MLB average of 22.4%.
Judge’s extraordinary performance has led to comparisons with some of the greatest right-handed hitters of all time. His OPS+ of 210 in 2022 places Judge among an elite group, which includes Jimmie Foxx and Rogers Hornsby, the only right-handed batters with two seasons boasting an OPS+ over 200. Hornsby’s 1924 season remains a pinnacle with a 222 OPS+, a mark Judge could challenge if he maintains his current form.
This season, Judge has enjoyed the platoon advantage in only 26% of his plate appearances, emphasizing his ability to perform consistently, irrespective of the pitcher’s handedness. This consistency has been pivotal for the Yankees as they navigate the pressures of a competitive season.
Reflecting on his success, Judge remains grounded, attributing his achievements to a focus on fundamentals. “I got to this point trying to be a good hitter and a good teammate, so that’s what I’m going to try to do. I feel like if I can do that, we can look up at the end of the year, and I think the numbers will be where they’re supposed to be,” he said.
Aaron Boone’s words encapsulate the sentiment around Aaron Judge’s season: it is a display of brilliance that transcends routine excellence. As the season progresses, all eyes will remain on Judge, watching to see how high he can elevate his game—and the sport itself.