Alex Rodriguez came to the New York Yankees with big expectations. His introduction to the postseason wearing the Pinstripes was cataclysmic, as he was one of those responsible for one of the worst collapses in sports, watching a 3-0 lead in the ALCS evaporate against the Boston Red Sox. It wasn’t until 2009 that Rodriguez finally changed his postseason narrative.

In its own twisted way, it is fitting that the corresponding move on the roster when Alex Rodriguez retired ended up being Aaron Judge. Judge is every bit the star Rodriguez was and maybe more. Just like the third baseman who carried his baggage as much as he did his gloves to the ballpark, the captain’s playoff struggles have tracked him since the moment he started playing baseball in October.

In that initial 2017 postseason, Judge managed to hit four home runs, but his .188/.316/.500 slash line was beneath him after such a historic rookie season. Those strikeouts were also another glaring issue. In 57 plate appearances that postseason, he struck out 27 times.

It hasn’t gotten better in his eight years since that initial debut in Octoberx. The 16 home runs pop out at first, but again, the overall numbers haven’t represented what Judge brings over the course of 162 games. In 220 plate appearances, Judge is hitting .205/.318/.450. In close to half of those PAs, he has struck out. He has 86 strikeouts.

If there ever is a time to change the narrative around Judge’s inability to perform in the postseason the way he has in the regular season, this is the one to do it. Last year, his dropped ball in the fifth inning of the World Series became the feather on the cap of another bad October run. Then, a few months later, Juan Soto decided Steve Cohen’s money was better than Hal Steinbrenner’s, and he cut and ran across town, choosing to wear the orange and blue instead.

The New York Mets haven’t capitalized yet, just as the Brooklyn Nets never did when they acquired both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in 2019, making bold proclamations that New York was now their town, so before the ones in Flushing dust off any of that Grimace black magic they had a year before, Judge can show those naysayers the city is still his kingdom after all. Doing it on his own without Soto, who proved to be the difference in them finally reaching the World Series for the first time since 2009, is one way to achieve this. More important than any playoff numbers, though, finally hoisting the trophy and bringing a 28th championship to the Bronx is the best way for Judge to solidify himself.

The only upside in the Yankees not winning the division is that Judge is hot right now. There’s no cool-off period.

Judge won player of the week in two of his last three weeks. In September, he has been scorching hot. He has 10 home runs and is hitting the usual Judgian numbers of .370/.527/.765 with a 241 wRC+. If this is the player who shows up to the postseason and the Yankees finally win a World Series after being written off this winter, Judge would be happy to let Cal Raleigh win MVP, because his eyes are on a bigger prize.

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