It was a week after the Home Run Derby, and the best player in the league turned into a major disappointment. Aaron Judge turned from hero to zero as he had gone 3-for-26 with nine strikeouts, two double plays, and a caught stealing in seven second-half games following the Derby. At the time, Judge’s surprisingly rough week looked like the only time this season that the super-star would be struggling, as he was the rookie who was loved by many and whose breakout had become one of the game’s biggest stories.

Not many expected his mini-slump to continue past the week. “I thought that the slump would be over quick for Judge,” said senior Jaren Hausknecht. “He was such an outstanding player up until then, and then he kind of just crumbled,” commented Hausknecht. Until that stumble started, Judge had seemed to greatly improve as the season progressed. June had been Judge’s best full month of the season, as he hit .357/.438/.714 in eight games in July before his absolute destruction of the competition in the Home Run Derby. By the end of the event, Judge totaled 47 home runs that traveled a combined 3.9 miles. At one point, he hit back-to-back bombs of 507 and 513 feet, finally upsetting the Miami Marlins’ defending champion and homerun king, Giancarlo Stanton. However, the apparent and shocking slump continued for seven straight weeks. Judge, who hit .183/.350/.355 during the slump, with a 34.1 percent strikeout rate since the All-Star break, has only eight home runs in that span. Pitchers also found the weak spots of this monster’s game. Judge has both chased more often, having swung 30.1% at out-of-zone pitches, up from 25.7%, and missed more often, 65.7% contact rate, down from 68.3% in the second half of the season. This turned Judge into a thing of the past, like a toy a child became tired of, and all eyes were set back on Giancarlo Stanton.

More recently, however, Judge’s slump may also become a thing of the past, as Judge is nearing the end of his hottest month to date, hitting an outstanding .307/.444/.893 in September. On Sunday, September 24, he blasted two home runs in Toronto, and that following Monday, he added two more back home against Kansas City. The last of the four hit was No. 50 of Judge’s rookie season, clearing Judge’s name and giving him the MLB rookie record, which Mark McGuire had held at 49 home runs for 30 years. The only other Yankees in history who had reached the 50-homer mark were Babe Ruth with 60, 59, and two 54 homer seasons, Mickey Mantle at 54 and 52, Roger Maris with 61, and Alex Rodriguez with 54. Many have hope for Judge including senior Michael Kantor. “Aaron Judge is a new style player who took over the league by storm hitting home run after home run,” said Kantor. “He led the Yankees to the playoffs and is picking up his game to the next level,” continued Kantor. Judge still has six games left to amplify the record and possibly crush it.

Freshman Arianna Vinceslao sees an even brighter future for Judge and the Yankees. “Aaron Judge carried the team well into the postseason, and although I cannot see the Yankees in World Series, I am excited about his potential.” said Vinceslao with excitement. Judge is likely to have have ample opportunities through hopefully a long and healthy career to possibly lead the pinstripes back to the Fall Classic. In the immediate future, though, he could potentially become the first Rookie of the Year from the Yankees since future Hall of Fame shortstop, Derek Jeter.