The New York Yankees are getting much-needed reinforcement for the final push of the season. They have announced that Aaron Judge will be activated and will be in the lineup on Tuesday against the Colorado Rockies. This will be the first time Judge is in the Yankees lineup since May 31st, having missed the last few months with a fractured right rib. This should be news to every Yankees fan’s ear. While they have held onto a playoff spot in his absence, they will not be able to go far in the postseason without him. But can Judge give the Yankees the jolt they need?
Can Aaron Judge Help the Yankees Take the East
Judge’s absence has left a big hole in the Yankees lineup. Ever since he went on the IL, they have ranked in the bottom five of the league in runs per game, batting average, OPS, and wRC+. All of these numbers have taken a nosedive without Judge. This has also caused them to fall a bit in the standings. When he went down, the Yankees were only 1.5 games back of the Tampa Bay Rays for first in the AL East, but now they are four games back. Sure, there were other injuries that compounded their struggles, but Judge was the big loss.
His presence should get the Yankees offense back on track. In the 59 games he has played in this season, he has slashed .248/.375/.533 with 17 home runs, 38 RBIs, and an OPS+ of 150. While his batting average and contact numbers have not been what they have been in the past, his power numbers are still elite. He is also still making great contact with the ball. According to Baseball Savant, he has a 57.3% hard-hit rate and a 94.1 average exit velocity. These would be among the best in the league if he had played enough games to qualify.
But his presence alone should be enough to get the Yankees back in gear. With Judge being such a threat at the plate, it will provide protection to guys like Ben Rice and Cody Bellinger. These two, along with the other players the Yankees bat in the top of the order, will be the guys pitchers go after. They will look to pitch around Judge and give the other guys better pitches to hit. This should allow for an increase in offensive production and for guys to get hot right before the postseason starts.
Now the main question everyone has is: can Judge propel the Yankees over the Rays to win the AL East? While he makes the Yankees lineup much better, it will be tough to catch the Rays. They have been one of the hottest teams in baseball over the past month. They had an AL-best 18-10 record in August. They also have the 7th-easiest remaining schedule among teams, compared to the Yankees, who have the 18th-easiest. The only way the Yankees have a chance is if they sweep the Rays in the three-game series during the last week of the season.
Although Judge will provide a big boost for the Yankees, it will not be enough for them to win the AL East. They should just worry about getting hot for the playoffs and focus on wrapping up the first wild card.
