NEW YORK — Aaron Judge wanted a change. One of the most feared hitters in the major leagues, the New York Yankees center fielder struggled in the first few weeks of the season. By the end of April, he was hitting just .207.
“I don’t do it too hot,” he said recently.
So Judge — who, like many players, regularly modifies his swing — made what seemed like a major adjustment.
On May 5, he walked to home plate with two outs in the first inning against Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal. Instead of taking his usual open batting stance — with his left foot facing the third baseman — he changed his stance. He tightens his stance slightly, moving his feet closer to the pitcher. He also stood up straighter.
It works like a charm. On a 1-1 count, Skubal tried to throw off a heater going 97 mph and hit Judge. But he kept the ball at home plate, and Judge hit a near-homer, a solo shot, into the right-center field stands at Yankee Stadium.
Judge finished the game 3-on-2 with a double and four balls. Since then, he has reclaimed his spot as the best hitter in baseball. Heading into Monday’s road game against the Chicago White Sox, he led in two of the three Triple Crown categories with an American League-best 42 homers and 106 RBIs. However, his .328 batting average was second only to the Kansas City Royals’ Bobby Witt, who batted .347. Judge’s 217 wRC+ (a composite measure of a player’s overall value) is also the best, more than 30 points better than his nearest competitor, teammate Juan Soto (186 points).
He also hit 299 career home runs. He is expected to be the fastest player to complete 300 games.
Judge said the change has helped him a lot.
First, he said, it made him feel more comfortable. Second, it makes him more effective against sliders and away pitches. As of May 4, Judge had a .154 batting average against sliders and a .333 slugging percentage. After May 5, he hit .348 against them and had a .812 slugging percentage.
“Just playing a little better on the road,” he said. “A lot of teams like to throw the slider away, throw the slider away, and show the heater inside, and then throw the slider away again — it’s the same thing. As long as I’m a little more closed off or a little more direct in the beginning ( This is what I usually like to do) and I can stick to it better.
He added that this helps his front foot land more consistently where he wants it — almost directly toward the pitcher.
“When I land, I always want to get back to where I was,” he said. “But sometimes, if I start there, sometimes I feel like I never get back on track, so it feels further away. So if I start more square, you have a better chance of staying on some balls.
Of course, this change is not a one-time adjustment. Judge has stood more upright with pitchers multiple times this season, and he has occasionally adjusted his stance height, all in an effort to find the right balance.
First baseman Anthony Rizzo, one of the game’s best-hitting first basemen since his debut in 2011, said he noticed a change in Judge’s batting stance and said the batter’s legs Probably the key to his success. During pre-spring training workouts, Yankees players told each other they wanted to keep a close eye on each other’s hitting throughout the season and help correct problems when they arose.
“It’s very hard to hit the ball,” Rizzo said. “But I think as long as you have the core fundamentals and you’re on time, I don’t think it matters where you start. … It’s a feeling.
Manager Aaron Boone said Judge’s swing looks more direct since the change.
“In a way, it just simplifies it for him,” Boone said, “and makes him very efficient in what he does in the (batsman’s) box. And beyond that, we’re seeing Great swing decision-making. He’s very calm when taking pitches, knows what he’s looking for and doesn’t try to do too much about it. He slows down well. With the speed, I think his stance and positioning – from my perspective and my perspective on him – makes him more efficient.
Hitting coach James Rosen said it’s not uncommon for even the best players in the game to make significant adjustments in search of feeling more comfortable at bat.
“I don’t think that’s surprising,” Rosen said. “I think if you take 100 hitters, you’re going to see them make adjustments just because of how it feels. It doesn’t mean that’s where you want to be. You can stay there. You can go back. I think as long as he can get to the point now where he feels like he’s in a good position to make good moves, that’s where we want to get to sometimes you make those adjustments to get that feeling back.
Lately, the judge has had few opportunities to put his changes into effect. Teams are once again starting to treat Judge like Barry Bonds – intentionally throwing pitches around him or intentionally letting him walk instead of letting him beat them. This season, he is tied with Yordan Alvarez of the Houston Astros for the most intentional walks in the game, with 13. American League record.
Still, Judge said he feels good about the move and more moves are likely to come as he continues to find comfort at the plate.
“Some things you have to stick with, you know things will turn around,” he said. “But those are the little things that you just watch tape and analyze your game and those little things will stick out and be like, okay, let me see if this works.”
Later, a reporter told Judge that the move seemed to actually work.
He smiled.
“So far.”
(Aaron Judge photo above: Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
