The baseball world is buzzing with a story that sounds straight out of a movie! Enter Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, the powerhouse slugger who once commanded the outfield and the scoreboard with sheer dominance. But now, it seems like a shadow is hanging over his career, and fans are pointing their fingers at an unexpected source: Paw Patrol! The beloved animated show that captured the hearts of millions of kids has somehow become the center of a mysterious baseball phenomenon.  

Ever since Aaron Judge made his appearance on the show, something wild has happened. The man who once smashed home runs with the force of a freight train hasn’t hit a single one since! Judge’s recent lack of home runs is a stark contrast to his earlier dominance. His sudden drought is raising eyebrows and fueling speculation. Is it a curse, a jinx; or just an unbelievable coincidence?

Aaron Judge’s slump: Paw Patrol curse or just a rough patch?

Aaron Judge has been in the spotlight for all the right reasons this season—until recently. Since his high-profile appearance on an episode of Rubble & Crew, a spin-off of the popular children’s show Paw Patrol on August 26, things have taken an unexpected turn. Judge is hitting just .194 with zero home runs and only 2 RBIs over the last nine games. Yep, that’s right—his longest homerless streak of the season. Now, before you start pointing fingers at cosmic forces, let’s dive into the theories. Some are buzzing with a bold claim: Paw Patrol might be the reason behind Judge’s sudden slump.

It sounds like something out of a sports legend, but it’s hard to ignore the timing. Ever since Judge made his debut on the show, the home runs have dried up, and the speculation has been running wild. When asked after the Yankees’ crushing 10-6 defeat, Aaron Judge’s response was cool and collected, saying, “No, each game means as much as it did on March 28. It’s all the same. Just because we have 22 left doesn’t mean anything to us. It’s about what we do for this next game.” Judge was on track to smash his own record of 62 home runs set in 2022, but with this recent slump, it’s becoming a nail-biter. Before his appearance on Paw Patrol, Judge was an unstoppable force. His stats were astronomical, but since that fateful debut on August 26, his performance has taken a dramatic turn for the worse.

Aaron Judge’s dominance before the alleged curse took its toll

Aaron Judge was on track to hit a jaw-dropping 63 home runs this season. With 51 already under his belt and a whole month still to play, Judge was setting the stage for an unprecedented performance. Standing at a colossal colossal six-foot-seven and tipping the scales at nearly 300 pounds of pure muscle, he’s a force of nature. Usually, players of his size are known for their home run power but are prone to striking out and lacking in the singles and doubles department. Not Judge, he’s shattering every expectation.

As of August end, Judge’s batting average was soaring above .330 in a league where the average player barely hits .241. His on-base percentage? A staggering .464—way above the league average of .310. And get this: his OPS+ stands at an astronomical 229, meaning he’s a mind-blowing 129 percent beyond the league average! To put that in legendary perspective, Ted Williams’ OPS+ during his 1941 .406 season was a mere 235, and Judge is already surpassing Mickey Mantle’s iconic 1956 Triple Crown campaign where Mantle’s OPS+ was 210.

But wait, there’s more. In an electrifying 100-game stretch from late April to August 24, Judge delivered a performance for the ages: .378 batting average, .505 on-base percentage, and .835 slugging—along with 45 home runs and 106 RBIs. No other player in MLB history has ever hit .375 with 45 homers in such a span. Will Aaron Judge break the supposed curse and reclaim his spot as a home run hero? What do you think? Share below.