In a nail-biting matchup Tuesday night, the New York Yankees were narrowly defeated 5-4 by the visiting Cincinnati Reds in their series opener. Despite the loss, Yankees fans had plenty to cheer about, particularly the stellar performance of their star player, Aaron Judge.
Judge was a dominant force at the plate, going 3-for-4 and hammering his 32nd home run of the season. This home run showcased Judge's consistent power, as he had also hit his 32nd home run of the previous season on July 16. This season, however, sees Judge exhibiting a form that could potentially etch his name in the annals of baseball history.
With a batting average of .321, Judge currently leads the majors, bolstering his impressive home run count and a whopping 83 RBIs. His OPS stands at 1.158, far surpassing that of Shohei Ohtani in the National League, whose OPS lags over 100 points behind Judge’s.
These remarkable stats put Judge in contention for the Triple Crown, an illustrious achievement not seen since Miguel Cabrera accomplished the feat for the Detroit Tigers in 2012. Before Cabrera, Carl Yastrzemski of the Boston Red Sox had won the Triple Crown back in 1967, and the last National League player to secure it was Joe Medwick of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1937.
Judge's extraordinary 2022 season saw him setting the American League record with a massive 62 home runs. This year, he seems well on his way to matching or even surpassing that mark. The significance of Judge's leadership on the field cannot be understated, especially when the Yankees find themselves in tight spots, as they did against the Reds.
Steven Kwan of the Cleveland Guardians poses a slight competition for the batting average title this season, maintaining an impressive average of .362. However, Kwan has not yet achieved qualifying status due to a hamstring strain that sidelined him for more than three weeks, diminishing his immediate threat to Judge's pursuit of the Triple Crown.
While the Yankees' defeat is certainly a setback, the silver lining remains Judge’s formidable consistency and performance. His ability to deliver under pressure provides a glimmer of hope and excitement for Yankees supporters looking to see their team secure more victories as the season progresses. Given Judge's current form, there's every reason to believe he could push the Yankees toward a successful run in the latter half of the season.
As the baseball world watches Judge's pursuit of the Triple Crown, comparisons to legends like Cabrera, Yastrzemski, and Medwick are inevitable. Each game serves as another opportunity for Judge to inch closer to joining that exclusive club and solidifying his place in the sport's storied history.
For now, Yankees fans can relish in the consistent brilliance of Aaron Judge, hoping that his prodigious talent can lift the team back into the win column in the upcoming games. Whether he achieves the Triple Crown or not, Judge’s season is already one for the books, marked by powerful hitting, sharp focus, and an indomitable spirit that epitomizes the very best of Major League Baseball.