NEW YORK — This Yankees loss doesn't relaxation on the impossibly broad shoulders of Aaron Judge.
In a approach, none of them actually does.
Judge, the all-world, homer-clubbing captain of this grand franchise, by no means really deserves to be the scapegoat of any single defeat. The Yankees are the place they're and would possibly go the place they hope to go in large half as a result of Judge is a generational drive. Blaming the golden goose appears considerably ungrateful, misguided.
But honest or not, Judge’s run of playoff underperformance — which continued Monday in a dispiriting 4-2 loss to the Royals in Game 2 of the ALDS — summons a story each lazy and unavoidable. A 1-for-7 exhibiting up to now this autumn has pushed Judge’s profession postseason line to a disappointing (by his immense requirements) .208/.311/.449 throughout 46 video games. He now owns the one highest strikeout price — 34.3% — in playoff historical past.
Doubts about Judge’s capacity to shine on the largest stage are rising from whispers to questions, foolish as that could be.
“I mean, baseball — it's hitting. Got a base hit and a walk in a game,” Yankees skipper Aaron Boone mentioned of Judge in his postgame information convention. “I get it, but hitting is hard. You're not going to hold him down long.”
The questions, for each Boone and Judge, include the gig. It’s part of it. They perceive this actuality. Judge has despatched Yankee Stadium into pandemonium numerous instances throughout his springs and summers. He has made historical past time and time once more. However, the presumed AL MVP has but to ship a trademark postseason second or a World Series trophy. Until he does, the questioning will proceed.
Boone and Judge additionally know that Judge is only one man, as Boone’s annoyed and dumbfounded tone through the information convention conveyed. Few different Yankees bats shined on Monday, both. Juan Soto and Gleyber Torres went hitless. Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s rubbish time homer in the ninth was the crew’s solely extra-base knock of the night. Starting pitcher Carlos Rodón recorded simply 11 outs.
Judge’s forgettable 1-for-3 with a stroll didn't doom the Bombers.
“He's been on base three times in the first two games,” Boone went on. “It's not that easy. It's baseball. Hitting is a game of failure. He's going to get more opportunities, and I'll continue to place my bets on him.”
Aaron Boone on Aaron Judge vs. the Royals this season:
“It's not that easy. It's baseball. Hitting's a game of failure. He's gonna get more opportunities and I'll continue to place my bets on him” pic.twitter.com/KPDt8ZNWuN
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) October 8, 2024
The Yankees delivered a sleepy efficiency on Monday, although it began with a jolt.
Rodón commenced the proceedings with an electrifying first inning that acquired the group riled and engaged. He started with a strikeout of Maikel Franco, freezing the Kansas City third baseman on a knee-high heater. An energized Rodón roared his approach off the mound as Franco trudged again to the dugout.
Out No. 2 got here on an elevated fastball, a rocket-fueled four-seamer blown previous star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. The Yankees starter, pushed on by the pinstripe devoted, swaggeringly nodded to himself, then appeared to bellow, “Oooh, let’s go, boys.” An inning-ending punchout of Vinnie Pasquantino, this one on a dastardly slider, elicited a tongue waggle and extensive eyes from the flame-throwing starter.
Rodón saved the Royals at bay in the second and third, and the Yankees pushed throughout one run in the underside of that body, however the juice wore off in a disastrous fourth inning. The Yankees’ lefty fell behind the primary hitter, Salvador Pérez, after bouncing the All-Star backstop a pair of sliders. The subsequent breaking ball, a boring spinner, discovered the strike zone. Unfortunately for Rodón, it additionally discovered the barrel of Pérez’s bat and — after 5.4 seconds — the left-field seats.
“Trust the pitch and go attack. That’s the mindset I wish I had,” the beleaguered starter defined after the sport. “Obviously, I want to be better than that.”
Peréz, rounding the bases, flapped his arms like a chook in flight. That lengthy ball was his fourth profession residence run off Rodón, and it pushed his profession OPS towards the southpaw above 1.500. The dark-eyed hurler, lips pursed, shook his head in frustration.
His night time was about to get even worse.
Three extra hits and two extra runs later, Rodón was out of the ball sport. He recorded a complete of 11 outs in his first playoff begin in pinstripes. Kansas City exited the body with a 4-1 lead. From there, New York threatened however couldn't break via. The rating didn’t budge till Chisholm went yard to begin the ninth.
That upper-deck shot from the Bahamian introduced some hope again into the imaginations of the house crowd, trimming the lead to two. Surprise first baseman Jon Berti singled off Royals nearer Lucas Erceg with two outs. That despatched Gleyber Torres up because the tying run, however the Yankees second baseman rolled out to finish the menace and the sport.
A symphony of groans rose above the primary notes of Sinatra’s “New York, New York” because the Kansas City gamers shook fingers and traded heck yeahs.
The collection now strikes to Kauffman Stadium for Game 3 on Wednesday. It’ll be the Royals’ first residence playoff sport for the reason that 2015 World Series. The Kansas City skyline will present a heat consolation to this road-weary Royals crew, who haven’t stepped foot in the City of Fountains since Sept. 22.
The Yankees, however, have been sleeping in their very own beds since that very same date. After Monday’s sport, Judge and his teammates packed gear into navy duffles. They now hit the street for the primary time in greater than two weeks.
With their loss Monday, a return journey to the Bronx is now not a assure. In October, the stakes come at you quick.
