Aaron Judge is having an incredible season.
His stats are mind-blowing: a .333 batting average, a .465 on-base percentage, and a .736 slugging percentage with 51 home runs and 122 RBIs. With over a month left in the season, he could add even more to these numbers. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said after Judge’s 49th homer last Friday, “You’re witnessing greatness. You really are. He’s just kinda better than everyone.”
Judge leads in almost every major offensive category this year. He’s on track for 101 extra-base hits and 418 total bases, feats only achieved by a handful of players in history. The last time someone did this was years ago.
Judge has hit seven homers in his last six games and 19 in his past 36 games. If he keeps up this pace, he might break his own record of 62 home runs from last year. Fans must be thrilled with his performance!
Slow Start Turnaround
Back in April, things looked rough for Judge when he went hitless with four strikeouts during his bobblehead day at Yankee Stadium. His stats were down to .179/.323/.359 then but turned around dramatically since then.
In the next few months, he hit .370 with an on-base percentage of .500 and a slugging percentage of .828! That’s not just a hot streak; that’s dominance over four months.
Less Strikeouts
Judge hasn’t struck out in his last eight days or 27 plate appearances! His strikeout rate this season is down to 23.4%, lower than ever before in his career. Even though he’s tall with a big strike zone, he’s making more contact now while still hitting for power.
Best Season by Right-Handed Hitter?
Adjusted OPS (OPS+) helps compare players across different eras by factoring in ballpark effects and league averages. A score above 100 is great; below means below average.
Here are some top OPS+ seasons:
– Barry Bonds: 268
– Babe Ruth: 255
– Ted Williams: 235
Judge’s current OPS+ is at an impressive level that puts him among legends like Bonds and Ruth but as one of the best right-handed hitters ever!
He’s had fewer chances against lefties because most pitchers are right-handed yet continues to excel despite tougher pitching today compared to past eras.
“I got here trying to be a good hitter and teammate,” Judge said recently via MLB.com.
What do you think about Judge’s season so far?
