“Least clutch player of all time,” a fan commented after yesterday’s game. The New York Yankees had again lost to their cross-town neighbors. But interestingly, the question wasn’t just raised on the Bronx hitters but also on their captain Aaron Judge. Though All Rise had been sent walking four times in that game, he failed miserably the one time he had a chance. That has raised alarming questions about his clutching skills.

This is a surprising situation. After all, Judge is going through a generational tear and to call him not clutch seems counter-intuitive. But then, this has been the case with the Yankees captain since his debut. Despite being an amazing hitter, complaints over his perceived lack of clutching abilities have always been. Something that starkly contrasts Derek Jeter – who was hailed as Captain Clutch. This became visible again on June 23.

47,453 fans inside the Yankee Stadium looked on as Aaron Judge faced the New York Mets’ struggling reliever Jake Diekman in the 9th inning. With the Bronx Bombers behind by just one run, Judge could’ve proved to be a game-changer. But then he was struck out looking and the game was lost. That has been the tale for Aaron Judge this season – he crumbles during high-leverage situations. One can understand the depth of this issue from his hitting stats.

The Yankees superstar has a tremendous 230 wRC+ in low-leverage situations. Even during medium-leverage situations that number is at 198 wRC+. These are generational numbers and show Aaron Judge’s domination. But then comes his wRC+ during high-leverage situations. In a shocking development, the number drastically drops to 88 (per Fan Graph). That’s right, Aaron Judge’s wRC+ falls over 100 points between medium and high-leverage situations.

That is one of the reasons why fans have begun calling out the New York Yankees captain. With the team already struggling for consistency, the fans are slowly losing their patience with the players.

Aaron Judge’s lack of clutching frustrates the Yankees fanbase

Social media was filled with comments on how unclutch Aaron Judge is. “Can’t go down looking when you are the last hitter in the lineup,” a fan wrote. That’s certainly a valid point. The New York Yankees were trailing by just one run and Judge finally got a chance to swing. But, the star had a disappointing at-bat.

“I see Judge is in post-season form already,” wrote another fan. Along with Judge’s clutching skills, his postseason form too is a matter of hot discussion between fans. Despite being a regular-season juggernaut, Aaron Judge’s postseason slash is a measly .211/.310/.462. The star hasn’t been able to replicate his regular season success in October yet.

“For everyone wondering why Soto will get paid way more,” claimed another fan. While the reasons for Juan Soto’s payment may different (the market has changed since 2022-23), Soto’s clutching skills are undoubtable. After all, Soto hit 3 home runs in the 2019 World Series – something that very few have managed to do. 

“Story of this me first player. Absolute choke artist,” wrote another fan. That is a surprising take, especially because Aaron Judge is popular for being one of the most selfless players. Rarely has a star been so willing to share the spotlight as Judge is. But then one can understand the fans’ frustration with the team’s form.

“Soto is a Met,” said a rival fan. As one knows, the New York Mets are one of the biggest suitors for Juan Soto. While one can’t read what’s going on inside Soto’s mind, the Mets fans are riding on a high. From “OMG” to their recent form, the team is on a roll, and that makes them confident of Soto’s arrival. 

So with Aaron Judge’s clutching abilities once again under scrutiny – are the allegations true? Is Judge really so unclutch? Or is it just a momentary issue? Let us know in the comments.