The New York Yankees staved off their biggest losing streak in a century with a 9-1 victory over the Washington Nationals on Wednesday. The star of the show was unsurprisingly Aaron Judge, who belted home runs in the first, second, and seventh innings.
Until tonight, Judge had never hit three home runs in the same game. His night peaked in the second inning, when the reigning MVP sent a grand slam rocketing over the centerfield wall to give the Yanks an insurmountable 6-0 advantage.
The Nats aren't exactly world-beaters, but it has been hard for the Yankees to overcome even the bad teams lately. This game was akin to finding an oasis in the desert for New York fans.
Judge entered the game shrouded in injury concerns tied to a sprained big toe. Judge has been battling foot problems for a large chunk of the season and, with the Yankees' campaign all but finished, there was talk of potentially holding him out.
No dice. Judge wanted to play, and the Yankees are obviously thrilled he did. When he's even close to right, Judge is still the best hitter in the major leagues -- bar none.
Aaron Judges elevates struggling New York Yankees with three home runs in win
Even in a season cut short by injury, Judge's numbers outpace the majority of the MLB. He has 24 home runs, 48 RBIs, 56 walks, and 86 strikeouts in 306 plate appearances. His averages of .271/.402/.607 are down from his MVP season in 2022, but one can hardly blame Judge under the circumstances. The team around him has tanked, for one, but he hasn't been healthy either. It's difficult to establish a rhythm at the plate after a months-long absence.
New York has a lot of soul-searching to do when the season ends. Aaron Boone is on the hot seat and GM Brian Cashman should be too, if Hal Steinbrenner can muster the courage to make foundational changes. Nobody on the roster should be safe, with the prominent exception of Judge. He is the heart and soul of Yankees baseball, dubbed 'The Captain' for a reason. New York needs to find better ways to build around Judge.
The 31-year-old signed a nine-year, $360 million contract over the winter. He's in New York for the long haul.
Let's see if the Yankees can make the next eight years more worth his while.