Aaron Judge, Bobby Witt Jr. disappointing in early portions of ALDS

Sep 9, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Aaron Judge (99) reacts after striking out during the third inning against the Kansas City Royals at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

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If Aaron Judge and Bobby Witt Jr. were the best the American League had to offer this season, they sure are leaving plenty to be desired through the first two games of the ALDS, which was split between the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals. 

Judge is all but a lock to win the AL MVP for the second time in three seasons. The Yankees’ slugger led baseball with 58 home runs, 144 RBI, and a 1.159 OPS, but postseason woes are following him in 2024. 

Over the first two games of his postseason, Judge is 1-for-7 with an infield single and four strikeouts. 

“If I’m not hitting 1.000, I’m not feeling good,” Judge said following his 1-for-3 showing in Game 2. “So, just got to keep getting on base for the guys behind me. If they get on, I’ve got to drive them in.”

He was on base twice with a walk to go with that infield single, but the Yankees are not paying him $360 million simply to get on base. He is supposed to be the focal point of a lineup that went 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position in a 4-2 Game 2 loss. 

“You’re not going to hold him down long,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “He’s been on base three times in the first two games. It’s not that easy. It’s baseball. Hitting is a game of failure. He’s going to get more opportunities, and I’ll continue to place my bets on him.”

Witt’s introduction to the ALDS has not been much better. 

After going 3-for-9 with two RBI in the AL Wild Card Series against the Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City’s star shortstop is 0-for-10 in the ALDS with four strikeouts. 

It is a far cry from what he put up during the regular season, preventing Judge from winning the Triple Crown by batting .332 to go with 32 home runs and 31 stolen bases. He became the first shortstop in MLB history to post consecutive 30/30 seasons. 

This is the first time that we are seeing what are likely the No. 1 and No. 2 finishers in MVP voting since 2020, when Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated his current teammate Freddie Freeman, who was with the Atlanta Braves in the NLCS, though Freeman won the MVP honors. 

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