Aaron Judge had the perfect opportunity to change his playoff reputation. But he didn’t.
Aaron Judge had the perfect opportunity to change his playoff reputation.
It came after Juan Soto was walked intentionally with Gleyber Torres on second and two outs in the top of the ninth in Game 1 of the World Series.
But Dave Roberts brought in Blake Treinen, and the Dodgers closer got Judge to pop up to short to end the threat and keep the game tied in a game won, 6-3, by the Dodgers with Freddie Freeman’s grand slam in the 10th.
It was the latest bit of disappointment for Judge, the other-worldly player who hasn’t been able to break through in the playoffs for much of his career.
And the first World Series game of his career looked a lot like his prior October performances.
He whiffed his first three times at bat against right-hander Jack Flaherty, twice with Soto on first base and the Yankees trying to build a rally.