When the New York Yankees lost Juan Soto to their crosstown rivals, the blow was felt deeply by pinstriped fans. The first time Soto returned to the Bronx, he was met with a chorus of boos. While Soto hasn’t yet been a cornerstone for the Yankees, fans know the reality: without him, the team’s 2025 postseason push faces a much tougher road.

Aaron Judge, the Yankees’ regular-season star, plays a different game in the postseason. After slumping last year and facing injury this season, his October performances have been inconsistent. He returned to right field following weeks as designated hitter, and while his bat still changes games—highlighted by a diving grab in the Yankees’ 4-3 win over the Blue Jays on Saturday—his throwing arm has noticeably declined. Once capable of 90 mph throws, Judge’s arm now caps around 70 mph.

The Blue Jays wasted no time, running at Judge early and often—a tactic other teams are likely to adopt. Manager Aaron Boone remains supportive, saying Judge’s arm strength is sufficient and that he’s working with Judge and Giancarlo Stanton on outfield positioning. Yet insiders are raising eyebrows about the Yankees’ outlook without Soto in the lineup.

Brendan Kuty of The Athletic put it: “This time, there will be no Juan Soto, and Giancarlo Stanton can’t do it all by himself. The Yankees need Aaron Judge to put up Aaron Judge numbers in the postseason. They need him to author major moments and to be the catalyst that he largely hasn’t been throughout his postseason career.” And this is the hard-hitting truth.

Because Judge’s postseason track record isn’t nearly as potent as his regular season. In 58 playoff games, he is batting just .205 with an .836 OPS, and last year was no different. The Yankees front office is saying he will be healed enough to play the outfield full-time in October, but expectation and guarantee are different.

Last season, with Judge’s slump, it was Juan Soto who had taken over, along with Giancarlo Stanton. Also, given that the Yankees even made the World Series last season after 2009, it makes you wonder, right? Maybe it was Juan Soto being there that made the difference. For now, the Yanks bet on Judge’s health, and that’s not sitting well with insiders and fans. It remains to see if the decision was wise or just wishful thinking.

Yankees Expose Max Scherzer’s Pitch Tipping!

The New York Yankees didn’t just win their series against the Blue Jays—they did so with a bit of old-school gamesmanship. In the final game, the Yankees noticed something subtle but crucial: Max Scherzer was tipping his pitches. According to Bob Klapisch of NL.com, Scherzer’s glove position in the stretch made it easy for the Yankees to predict what pitch was coming.

Once the Yankees caught on, they quickly communicated the insight. Cody Bellinger was seen spreading his arms, a clear signal for a changeup. The message passed from Bellinger to Aaron Judge and then to Ben Rice, who soon smashed a home run—a pivotal moment that helped secure the win.

When asked about the tactic, Bellinger didn’t shy away. He confirmed the signals were indeed about Scherzer’s changeup, telling Klapisch, “That is correct. We talk about it pregame, and you just go out there and look for it. If you see it, then you obviously do what you can.”

For the Yankees, this method of gaining an edge is perfectly legal and widely accepted in MLB, as long as no electronics are involved. With the AL East race heating up, the Yankees are keen on exploiting every opportunity like this to secure victory. What do you think?