In a closely contested Tuesday night game, the New York Yankees fell to the Cincinnati Reds 5-4 in the series opener at Yankee Stadium. The game featured a standout performance by Aaron Judge, who continues to make a strong case for MVP consideration.
Judge was in stellar form, going 3-for-4 at the plate. He smashed his 32nd home run of the season, adding to his already impressive tally. The home run, which came on July 2, reflects Judge's consistent power, as he managed the same feat last season on July 16. His ability to surpass the 30-home run mark this early in the season underscores his offensive prowess.
The 2022 season saw Judge set the American League record with 62 home runs, solidifying his status as one of the premier sluggers in baseball. As of Tuesday night, Judge leads the majors in batting average (.321), home runs (32), and RBIs (83), putting him in contention for the coveted Triple Crown. This feat hasn't been achieved since Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers accomplished it in 2012. For historical context, Carl Yastrzemski of the Boston Red Sox won the Triple Crown in 1967, and Joe Medwick of the St. Louis Cardinals was the last National League player to do so in 1937.
Judge's dominance extends beyond the traditional statistics. With an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 1.158, he is miles ahead of his contemporaries. Comparatively, Shohei Ohtani, another superstar in the majors, has an OPS over 100 points lower than Judge's. This metric further cements Judge's status as the most formidable hitter this season.
However, Judge faces competition in the batting average department. Steven Kwan has posted an impressive .362 average. Yet, due to a hamstring strain that kept him off the field for more than three weeks, Kwan hasn’t yet achieved qualifying status. This leaves Judge's .321 average at the top of the leaderboard for now.
The game itself was a nail-biter, with both teams trading blows. The Yankees couldn't capitalize on Judge's offensive surge, eventually falling short by a single run. While the loss stings, Judge's performance remains a bright spot for a Yankees team looking to make a deep postseason run.
This season is shaping up to be one for the record books for Judge. As he continues to lead the majors in key statistical categories, the possibility of him achieving the Triple Crown looms large. Fans and analysts alike are keeping a close eye on his every at-bat, knowing full well they could be witnessing history in the making.
As the season progresses, Judge's consistency will be key. The Yankees will need more nights like Tuesday from their star slugger if they hope to navigate a challenging schedule and secure a playoff berth. With the postseason fast approaching, every game counts, and so does every home run, RBI, and base hit from Aaron Judge.