New York Yankees standout Aaron Judge played a key role in lifting his team after a tough loss, extending his lead in home runs and earning public praise from the organization. Despite the accolades and recent dominance, Judge remains critical of his performance.
The Yankees responded to a disappointing loss to the MLB-worst Colorado Rockies with a resounding 13-1 victory on Saturday, powered in part by Judge’s league-leading 18th home run. Although he tops the American League and is tied with Kyle Schwarber of the Phillies for the MLB lead, Judge told reporters he believes there’s still room for improvement in his game.
In the first inning of Saturday’s game, Judge launched a solo shot that put him at the top of the home run leaderboard. MLB highlighted the milestone on social media, and later in the day, Schwarber matched his total.
Following the dominant win, the Yankees shared a simple but powerful message on X (formerly Twitter) in support of their captain: “Court was in session.”
Still, Judge wasn’t entirely pleased with his performance. “I don’t feel too great at the plate,” he admitted via The Associated Press. “Always a work in progress.”
Statistically, Judge remains one of the league’s top hitters. Though his average has dipped below .400, he’s still batting .395 with 18 home runs and 46 RBIs. His value goes beyond just hitting—he was intentionally walked during a 10-run fifth inning and emphasized the importance of contributing in any way he can.
“If I can get on base for those guys, they’re going to do something special,” Judge said. “You never know what’s going to happen — you’ve just got to stay ready to hit every single time.”
Manager Aaron Boone also credited Judge’s discipline at the plate, noting his ability to avoid chasing pitches out of the strike zone makes life difficult for opposing pitchers.
“If you’re going to have real success, you’ve got to rely on a little bit of chase with him,” Boone explained. “He’s just gotten so good at not chasing. That makes him even more dangerous.”
With the win, the Yankees improved to 31-20, putting them just two games behind the AL-best Detroit Tigers and extending their lead in the division to 5.5 games after the Red Sox split a doubleheader with the Orioles.