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Aaron Judge's playoff nightmare is made worse by another person disappearing

There were signs of progress in the eighth part when Aaron Judge was more disciplined.

Against Ryan Brasier, he swung through two borderline throws and the crowd grew dissatisfied, ready to boo the Yankees captain with another whiff.

But Judge hit three straight sliders that slipped out of the zone and reached a walk that showed the process could improve.

Aaron Judge reacts after striking out during the Yankees' Game 3 loss to the Dodgers on October 28, 2024. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

But “process” refers to April, May and June. In October, it's the results that matter, and Judge hasn't found nearly enough.

Perhaps his approach improved Monday, but he reached base once in four plate appearances. Judge appeared 13 times in the World Series.

He returned to the dugout eleven times unhappily. Seven of those times were strikeouts in a series in which he hit .083.

“I'm not doing my job right now,” Judge said after suffering a 4-2 loss to the Dodgers in the Bronx on Monday that gave the Yankees a 3-0 loss, a road loss, not just a series loss , but a serial embarrassment. “Gotta pick it up.”

The best hitter in at least the American League and perhaps even the world has stopped hitting in the games that mean the most to him and has a single hit in three of the most disappointing games of the club's season.

The Yankees have scored seven runs in three games, and their offensive ineptitude begins with their strongest bat.

If Judge doesn't wake up, severe slumps would end his 2024 and eclipse one of the greatest offensive seasons the baseball world has ever seen.

His manager is confident that Judge can and will break out of this situation. Why?

“He’s Aaron Judge,” Aaron Boone said after Judge had four more chances in Game 3 and missed three of them.

He stepped to the plate in the first with Gleyber Torres at first base and left him there. With a sellout crowd on its feet trying to extricate Judge from this mess, Judge was once again undone by uncharacteristic impatience, chasing a Walker-Buehler cutter off the plate.

He saw just one more pitch from Buehler, a knuckle curve to center plate in the fourth, and was thrown out.

Judge had another chance in the sixth with a runner on first (Giancarlo Stanton), but the fireballing Brusdar Graterol triggered a weak comebacker that he hit to the ground and got an out at second.

Aaron Judge exits during the Yankees' Game 3 loss to the Dodgers on October 28, 2024. Robert Sabo for NY Post

On his last attempt, Judge drew a one-out walk, which was followed by strikeouts from Stanton and Jazz Chisholm Jr.

“He had a tough postseason and I think we all love him the same, we all think of him the same,” Nestor Cortes said. “If this postseason were to be extended and hopefully go to Games 6 and 7, I have no doubt he will strike in time and come up big for us at some point.”

His teammates believe it, and it's Judge who has preached to the team – and probably himself – that “all it takes is one hit, one hit, one play,” he said. “Everything changes.”

Aaron Judge reacts during the Yankees' Game 3 loss to the Dodgers on October 28, 2024. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

With almost every at-bat there's a feeling that something could change, and the reality is that nothing has changed: This postseason, the presumptive AL MVP is 6-for-43 (.140) in 12 games. He is 3 for 22 (.136) with runners on base and 0 for 10 with six strikeouts with runners in scoring position.

There are signs that batting performance is improving. But signs are worthless in October.

“I didn’t take any hits,” Judge said simply of another day that wasn’t good enough. “I didn’t drive anyone in. I have to do something up there.”

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