Aaron Judge faces Ohtani’s Dodgers with the .400 Rondando
Aaron Judge seeks to become the first Yankee that beats .400 in a season or, at least, in the batting champion with the most bulky average produced by the organization.
This weekend, the New York Yankees face Los Angeles Dodgers for the first time since last World Series To revive the flames of a rivalry that began more than 100 years ago.
The third meeting of the series at the Dodger Stadium, which will face the winners of the most valuable player award From the previous season- Aaron Judge in the American League And Shohei Ohtani in the National League– And current favorites to repeat, will be the “Major Leagues” of AM850 (Domingo, 7 pm et).
Last season, the Dodgers beat the Yankees 2-1 in three games in the regular series (to draw 11-11 the shocks for life) and then 4-1 in the autumn classic. The Yankees have won eight of the 12 clashes with the Dodgers in the World Series.
Currently, New York (35-20) dominates the weakened east division of the young circuit, with seven games above the Tampa Bay Rays (28-27), supported by the extraordinary offensive start of Judge, who beats .391 with 18 homers, 14 doubles, 38 tickets, 51 scored and 47 driven.
Los Angeles (34-22) barely controls the West divisionwhich has four of its clubs among the 10 most winners of the National League in 2025, led by Ohtani, who leads the major leagues with 20 home runs and 59 scored.
As if it were not enough to have surpassed Roger Maris and Babe Ruth Among the greatest homers of the Yankees in a season, now Judge seeks to become the first toleter in the history of successful franchise that bats .400 in a season or, at least, in the batting champion with the most bulky average that the organization produces.
In the last clash of the series against Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Judge left 2-0 with two passports, lowering his batting average A .391, which is still the fifth highest for the club in the first two months of a season.
The former -gardener and now commentator of the Yankees television, Paul O’Neillbattered .428 when it ended May in 1994, while Mickey Mantle He did it for .414 in 1956, Lou Gehrig for .413 in 1927, and Ruth for .400 in 1931.
Judge, who dispatched 62 homers in 2022 (leaving Maris behind, who hit 61 in 1961, and Ruth, who connected 60 in 1927), seeks to be the tenth Yankee who wins the batting crown and the first from DJ Lemahieu in 2020. The Yankee batting champion with the highest average was Joe Dimaggiowith .381 in 1939.
Ruth is the Yankees player with the highest average in a season (.393 in 1923), but the batting champion of the American League was Harry Heilmann (.403), of the Detroit Tigers.
Judge, who has been summoned to six editions of the Star set And he has won five trophies Silver bat And two most valuable player awards are simply putting together the best season of his career. Better than those of 2022 and 2024, when he led the League in War (10.8) in each and won the MVP.
“The Captain” He has reached base in 42 of the first 55 Yankees games, leads baseball in all offensive averages, exhibits the greatest OPS+ (245) of his career and with 4.2 War aims to be the first player who exceeds the barrier of 11 from Barry Bonds in 2002 (11.7) and 2001 (11.9).
According to the last Yankees press release, Judge is the first 66 -year player who reaches 153 bases in the first 54 club games.
In his career, Judge has bathed well against the Dodgers (.389 in 36 shifts) in the regular season, but what the most remembered is their performance in the last World Series, when he left 23-4 with seven strikeouts, in the continuation of a very bad postseason, in which he hit .141 (64-9) with 20 strikeouts and nine races produced.
