Aaron Judge is Making History: Spectacular Season and Eye-popping Stats
In the annals of Major League Baseball, few players have dominated a season as thoroughly as Aaron Judge is in 2023. As the captain of the New York Yankees, Judge is not just leading his team, but setting a scorching pace that has left fans and analysts alike in awe. "I'm kinda running out of words to say. You're witnessing greatness. You really are. He's just kinda better than everyone," said Yankees manager Aaron Boone, encapsulating the sentiment reverberating across the league.
Judge's Performance Metrics
To date, Judge is achieving a remarkable .333/.465/.736 line, contributing significantly with 51 home runs and 122 RBIs. His statistics don't just make him a standout player; they put him in a league of his own. Judge currently leads the league in home runs, RBIs, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and WAR (Wins Above Replacement), underlining his multifaceted dominance. With 31 games remaining in the season, Judge is projected to finish with an astonishing 101 extra-base hits and 418 total bases, stats that only a select few in the history of the game have managed to achieve.
Historical Context and Milestones
Achieving 100 extra-base hits and 400 total bases in a single season are rare feats, with only 15 players recording 100 extra-base hits and 29 players reaching 400 total bases. Amazingly, both of these milestones have been accomplished together only 13 times. Judge is on track to join this elite group, a testament to his sustained excellence and power hitting.
In his rookie season in 2017, Judge hit 52 home runs, a monumental achievement that set the tone for his career. Fast forward to 2022, and he managed to surpass that with 62 home runs. This season, he is on pace for an even more staggering number—a projected 63 home runs. His home run frequency has been formidable, with seven homers in his last six games and 19 in his last 36 games, showing no signs of slowing down.
Plate Discipline and Improvement
Beyond raw power, Judge has significantly improved his plate discipline and contact quality. This season, his strikeout rate stands at 23.4%, slightly higher than the MLB average of 22.4% but markedly improved from the 30.7% rate he posted in 2017 and the 25.1% rate in 2022. Adding to his extraordinary performance, Judge's OPS (On-base Plus Slugging) in the 106 games following April 23 is an astronomical 1.328, offering a vivid contrast to his early season line of .174/.308/.337 by that date.
In at-bats that don't culminate in home runs, Judge maintains a .250 batting average and a .413 on-base percentage, signifying his ability to be a consistent on-base presence while still being a formidable power hitter. His balanced approach is reflective of his own philosophy: "I got to this point trying to be a good hitter and a good teammate, so that’s what I’m going to try to do. I feel like if I can do that, we can look up at the end of the year, and I think the numbers will be where they’re supposed to be,” Judge noted.
Historical Comparisons and Legacy
When discussing seasons of such high caliber, comparisons are often made with the legends of the sport. Rogers Hornsby's 1924 season, which boasted a 222 OPS+, stands as a historical benchmark. Both Jimmie Foxx and Rogers Hornsby are the only right-handers who have posted two seasons with an OPS+ of over 200. Last year, Judge recorded a 210 OPS+, putting him in the company of these all-time greats. This season, he's well on his way to replicating, if not exceeding, such rarefied numbers.
While Judge's extraordinary summer captivates baseball fans, his sustained brilliance keeps rewriting the record books. With each game, he brings the Yankees closer to potential postseason glory and etches his name deeper into baseball lore. Fans are, indeed, witnessing greatness, and Aaron Judge is delivering one historical performance after another.