Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees‘ 2024 season ended in heartbreaking fashion on Wednesday night, as they blew a 5-0 fifth-inning lead to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 of the World Series, then later watched Los Angeles go on to win the series.
Judge’s performance was front and center this postseason, specifically in the World Series, in what was a bumpy five-game stretch for the 2022 — and likely 2024 — American League MVP.
Here are the World Series highlights and lowlights for Judge, who was playing in his first career Fall Classic.
Game 1 agony
Judge entered the World Series having struggled the previous two rounds. In New York’s combined nine games in the American League playoffs against the Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Guardians, he totaled two home runs, six RBIs and 13 strikeouts, while posting a .161/.317/.387 slash line. For perspective, Judge blasted 58 home runs and posted a .701 slugging percentage in the regular season.
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Judge didn’t silence the critics in Game 1 of the World Series.
The Yankees led 3-2 going into the bottom of the 10th inning, and, of course, Freddie Freeman hit a walk-off grand slam with two outs. New York left 11 runners on base, with Judge stranding four of them while striking out three times and finishing 1-for-5.
Mid-series drought
Judge went a combined 0-for-7 in Games 2 and 3, striking out three times.
In Game 2, he left two runners. In the top of the ninth inning, which saw the Yankees draw to within two runs and load the bases with one out, he struck out. Games 2 and 3 were each 4-2 victories for the Dodgers.
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Game 4 life
With New York staring down a sweep — and Judge’s offensive struggles at the center of team scrutiny — the superstar outfielder showed signs of waking up in his final at-bat of the game, hitting a single to left field, which drove in the Yankees’ 11th run of an 11-4 win. Judge had previously gotten on base via base on balls, hit by pitch and an infield error.
He carried that momentum into Game 5.
Yankees come ALIVE in Game 4
Game 5 duality
Game 5 featured Judge early and often — in both a positive and negative way.
Judge got the Yankees rolling in the first inning with a two-run home run to right field, giving them a 2-0 lead, which later became a 5-0 lead. Then, Judge made a leaping catch in the palm of his glove at the wall in the top of the fourth inning, robbing Freeman of a potential extra-base hit and the Dodgers of a run.
Dodgers vs. Yankees: MINI-MOVIE of 2024 World Series
But in the top of the fifth, Judge made a consequential error, dropping a line drive in center field. Later in the inning, shortstop Anthony Volpe made a throwing error and starting pitcher Gerrit Cole didn’t get over to first base for Anthony Rizzo to flip him the ball for the would-be inning-ending out. The Dodgers went on to score five runs in the inning to tie the game. While the Yankees regained the lead in the sixth with a sacrifice fly, the Dodgers went in front in the eighth with a pair of sacrifice flies.
Judge doubled in the bottom of the eighth — and also walked twice in the game — to get the tying run in scoring position, but the Yankees couldn’t get even and lost, 7-6.
Judge’s only home run and error in the World Series came in Game 5.
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