The New York Yankees captain, Aaron Judge, has had enough on the plate right now. While Judge is trying hard to make a comeback in the World Series, a former World Series superstar has made a shocking statement against him. The Yankees’ slugger Aaron Judge’s performance has been quite disappointing in the postseason, despite being a two-time Most Valuable Player in the American League.

Aaron Judge has a poor postseason, scoring 45 hits, 16 home runs, 34 RBIs, and 37 runs in 58 games with a.205 batting average. Now, the former MLB All-Star closer, Jonathan Papelbon, has termed him a “Regular Season Player” ahead of the 2025 season. Although Judge remains one of the major contributors for the Yankees and a dominant force in the regular season, it doesn’t matter much given his postseason struggles that will likely continue over in the new campaign.

A former champion makes a shocking statement on Judge’s postseason struggle

There isn’t much to discuss Aaron Judge’s performance in the postseason. While he made three home runs and.184/.344/.408 slash line over the 14 games, it isn’t just enough for a player of his caliber. Although the New York Yankees reached the World Series, his poor performance left many wondering if the postseason would have been more competitive had he formed to his potential. Now, on February 1, Jonathan Papelbon said on the Foul Territory, “I think the struggles continue. I know he’s a regular season player.” Jonathan even mentioned that there are barely any chances left for him to make an astounding record. But that’s not all!

The former Boston Red Sox superstar, Jonathan, went on to say that Aaron Judge would carry his postseason struggles into the 2025 postseason too. Now, his good performance in the regular season cannot hide the fact that he has been rather unimpressive in the postseason, where good performances actually mattered. Despite having a rough start in 2024, Judge slashed .322/.458/.701, posted 1.159 OPS and 58 home runs. Due to this, Jonathan Papelbon considers it a red flag for Judge and believes that Aaron will be going against better pitching staff in the American League, and that won’t make things easier for him at all. But that’s not the end of his woes!

Aaron Judge’s name comes up in a political battle

Aaron Judge‘s name is suddenly brought up in a political dispute while he is dealing with his postseason issues, which have earned him a spot as a regular-season player. Several politicians have named him as an inspiration while opposing President Donald Trump’s plan to stop billions of dollars in loans and federal grants. The House Minority leader, Hakeem Jeffries, is the first one to bring his name into political grounds, citing Judge’s calm and composed approach to the plate as an example.

Hakeem even mentioned that Judge is a tremendous hitter because he does not swing at the pitch. He considered Aaron great because of his ability to wait for the right pitch and then swing. Although this is quite inspirational, Judge has always tried to stay away from controversial topics and off the field throughout his professional baseball career. Even the National Review shared an appreciation post in 2017 for his lack of involvement in political matters and because he is the one who can unite both liberals and conservatives through his game. 

If Aaron Judge’s poor record continues in the 2025 run, Jonathan Papelbon’s statement may get traction, and fans will immediately raise lots of questions about Judge’s performance. So, it will be worth waiting and watching closely to see whether Judge can return to his MVP form and lead the Bronx Bombers to another October win or not. Do you think Aaron Judge can make a comeback? Do share your thoughts in the comment below.