Aaron Judge talks about his performance in the Yankees’ Game 2 loss vs. the Royals in their ALDS series.
The New York Yankees fell 4-2 to the Kansas City Royals in Game 2 of their ALDS series on Monday. With the series tied 1-1, the Yankees will have to win effectively a best-of-three series heading to Kauffman Stadium for Games 3 and 4. As the pressure mounts on the AL East Champions, third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. said the Royals got “lucky” in Game 2, possibly the quote of the series, depending on who wins. Meanwhile, Yankees hitter Aaron Judge took some of the blame for the loss due to his struggles at bat.
“If I’m not hitting 1.000, I’m not feeling good,” Judge told reporters, via Yankees Videos on X, formerly Twitter. “Just gotta keep getting on base for the guys behind me. If they get on, I gotta drive ’em in.”
ALDS Game 2: Royals def. Yankees, series tied 1-1
The press also asked Aaron Judge whether the Yankees’ first round bye gave him and the team some timing issues. Perhaps the rest derailed or erased some of the momentum the team generated after winning the American League East.
“I don’t think the bye has anything to do with it,” he answered, via Yankees Videos.
Still, Yankees fans might be all too familiar with this old song-and-dance from this team. After dominating the AL East all season long, their sizzling offense suddenly fizzles out in October, their bats suddenly going quiet.
For instance, two seasons ago, the Houston Astros swept the Yankees in the ALCS, mostly because they batted only .162 and scored only nine runs in four games. Moreover, Judge himself has faded in the playoffs before, and this reputation might come back to haunt the team this year.
In two games, Judge is only 1-7 with two walks, his only hit being the infield single in the eighth inning of Game 2. Meanwhile, Giancarlo Stanton is only 1-8, while Juan Soto followed a 3-5 Game 1 with an 0-2 dud.
Fail to win either Game 3 or Game 4, and the Yankees are at serious risk of a humbling ALDS elimination to the underdog Royals. Yet, Chisholm maintained the team can overcome any adversity in their way.
“I feel like this team is the best to do that. You know, one day we get our butts kicked and the next day we’re kicking butt,” he said, via a report from Anthony McCarron for SNY. “Like, we turn around everything. We never look at anything as a downer.”
Fans better hope Chisholm is right, or else they’ll be in for another long offseason.