Aaron Judge Blamed for Jeopardising “Red Hot” $325M Star as His 2024 Playoff Decline Haunts Yankees Again

The New York Yankees lost to the Chicago White Sox on Sunday, and of course, there is plenty of frustration tied to it. But it did have a silver lining, too, because that game reminded everyone why Aaron Judge has a place among the franchise’s legends. His 426-foot solo homer in the first inning tied him with Yogi Berra for fifth on the Yankee all-time list at 358. He is now trailing behind Joe DiMaggio by three and is behind only Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in career OPS.

So, you see, the milestones just keep adding on every season. But honestly, the numbers tell one part of the story. The Yankee captain is on pace to set the AL single-season record for intentional walks, which he has 30 of them. That figure is also three less than what Ted Williams and John Olerud made. Given these, you would think that his MVP claim is almost done, right?

But well, there is a growing concern because no matter what you say, the captain hasn’t looked quite the same since he has been back from IL due to his flexor injury. Judge’s slash line for August is down from his usual pace, .241/.417/.506. It’s almost a deja vu of what happened last season- a sharp decline when the team needed him most. And recently, he was even blamed for jeopardising $325 million star Giancarlo Stanton’s run.

ESPN summed it up, saying, “Aaron Judge is still probably the MVP favorite, but after missing 10 days with a flexor strain in his right elbow, he hasn’t been quite the same… It seems fair to call it a slight slump by Judge’s recent historic standards—and it’s not the same level of production as before his injury. He also still hasn’t played the field, which limits the red-hot Giancarlo Stanton to pinch-hitting duties when the Yankees are on the road (manager Aaron Boone has been willing to play Stanton in right field at Yankee Stadium, where there’s less ground to cover).

That’s where the issue is. Stanton, who has finally found his swing again. But Judge’s inability to return to the outfield has forced him to regular duty in the right field. Now at 35, and with a myriad of injury history, Stanton is not built for everyday outfield work. He has held his own for sure, but the Yankees are playing with fire. It all feels very familiar for the Bronx, because Judge’s 2024 playoff struggles left the offense exposed, and yet again, they were so close to the playoffs, and the story seems to be the same. And it might cost him the MVP title, even though Judge has managed five hits, two homers, and six runs scored over the weekend with the Chicago White Sox.

On the other side is 21-year-old Roman Anthony, who has undoubtedly been one of the breakout stars for the Boston Red Sox. In just 66 games, he is slashing. 291/.401/.464 and has six August home runs. His hard-hit percentage of 59.6% also ranks second in the majors, and his glove in the right field has been a weapon for the Yanks’ archrivals. So yes, while Judge fights to shake off that injury rust and recover into peak form, Anthony is there, powering through at the right time. This could turn out badly for Aaron Judge and his desire to claim the title again.

Cal Raleigh is the real threat to Aaron Judge’s MVP hopes

While Aaron Judge vs. Roman Anthony does have enough juice, the real drama really starts when you get Cal Raleigh in the picture. The Mariners’ slugging catcher has rewritten the rulebook for his position, essentially. In fact, no one would have talked about Seattle maybe had he not been as good. And here is the real kicker—Raleigh’s bat might just swing this race out of the Yankee captain’s hands.

See, what Raleigh has been doing has never been seen before from a catcher. He actually became the first backstop in the history of the sport to reach the 50-homer mark. Raleigh just shattered Salvador Perez’s previously held record of 48. He also has racked up nine multi-homer games and set a new franchise high and passed none other than Ken Griffey Jr. Plus, add in the fact that Raleigh is also closing in on Mickey Mantle’s switch-hitting home run record and chasing Judge’s single-season mark of 62—and you know the New York Yankee captain is up against some serious competition.

Still, Judge leads baseball when it comes to batting average, OBP, OPS, and fWAR. His slash line is crazy, even after his injury. But Raleigh still has one edge, and it’s that he is playing in one of the most demanding positions in the field. And he has logged over 100 games behind the plate. Judge, meanwhile, has not returned to the outfield yet, and the more he DHs, the more Raleigh’s value increases.

Who do you think among the three deserves the crown?