Aaron Judge’s Hitting Slump Continues, Concerns Arise Over Long-Term Form

Time turns rather quickly. Just last season the New York Yankees were suffering after Aaron Judge went down with injury. It was clearly visible that the Bronx Bombers’ hitting threat was being heavily carried by their captain. But it seems the change of dates has also changed their fortunes. The Pinstripes have started this season with a tremendous 5-1 record, but then Judge’s form has started to raise fears.

While it is an encouraging sign that the Bronx Bombers no longer actively depend on Judge’s bat, it’s still important for the captain to contribute as much as possible. After all, despite the addition of stars like Juan Soto, Judge remains one of the biggest hitters in the Yankees squad. But in a surprising turn of events, it seems like All Rise’s bat can’t seem to find the ball.

According to Baseball Savant Judge currently has a dismal batting average of .125 with an OPS of just .381. For the Captain, these are historically low numbers. If one goes deeper into his performance, Judge is swinging and missing a lot more than usual. Could it be just a normal tendency or is it a sign of times to come?

What’s interesting is that this is in stark contrast to how the Yankees are operating this season. The Bronx Bombers’ strategy has been to power through at-bats until the hitters get a proper hit. That has ensured that their strikeouts remain low and more balls are put into play. But it seems, Judge is struggling a little right now. However, one also needs to remember that slow starts have always been a part of Judge’s game.

After all, he started last season slowly too. But then once he caught fire, he averaged almost the same home runs as his record-setting 2022 until the injury hit him. So in a way, one shouldn’t be worried about his slow start – rather one should be worried about Judge’s decreased exit velocity.

Aaron Judge’s deeper stats might be telling a frightening tale

According to Baseball Savant, throughout Judge’s career, his exit velocity has hovered around 95 mph. The average peaked in 2023 when his average velocity hit 97.6 mph. So technically 2024 should climb even higher or at least maintain the average rate right? In an ideal world, yes, but right now, Judge’s EV is at 93.1 mph. 

Similarly, Judges’s hard-hit rate is currently at 44.4%. A far cry from his huge 64.2% in 2023. Apart from 2020, Judge has exceeded his current numbers in every season. While it’s still just the beginning of the season, it still raises an important question. What if Aaron Judge has peaked in his power? That certainly would be a massive dent in the Yankees’ World Series pursuit.

Read more: New York Yankees’ Other Stars Shoulder Aaron Judge’s Heavy Burden, Keep Winning Streak Alive Amidst Captain’s Struggles