Aaron Judge makes NY Yankees’ ‘ultimate goal’ clear after clinching playoff berth

The New York Yankees are back in the postseason — but Aaron Judge wants more. On Tuesday night, the Yankees secured their spot in the 2025 MLB playoffs with a dramatic 3-2 comeback win over the Chicago White Sox, capped by a clutch single from trade deadline pickup Jose Caballero that scored Judge for the game-winning run.

But while the Bronx faithful celebrated the playoff berth, Judge made it clear the team’s focus extends beyond simply qualifying for October baseball. The Yankees’ captain outlined what he believes is their true mission in the final days of the regular season.

“We’re all excited. It takes a lot of hard work to get to this point. It’s a long season. [But] the ultimate goal is to win our division. It’s right there for us. We’re excited about getting in. [But] we got bigger things ahead of us,” Judge told Meredith Marakovits of YES Network.

Can the Yankees catch the Blue Jays in the AL East?

The win put New York just one game behind the Toronto Blue Jays in the standings. The AL East crown is within striking distance, but the Yankees will need to finish with a better overall record since Toronto holds the tiebreaker after winning the season series.

The Yankees’ upcoming schedule favors them: they’ll face the struggling White Sox and the Baltimore Orioles to close the season. The Blue Jays, meanwhile, are locked in a tougher stretch against the Boston Red Sox, who are clinging to a playoff spot, before ending with the Tampa Bay Rays.

Yankees’ form peaking at the right time

Since early July, New York has stayed within striking distance despite slumps, defensive miscues, and injuries, particularly to Judge. Now, the team appears to be finding its rhythm.

The Yankees are 7-3 over their last 10 games and boast MLB’s top-ranked offense, with pitchers stepping up to keep them in the hunt. The formula has them looking like one of the most dangerous teams in the postseason picture — and possibly the one to beat in the AL East if momentum continues.

Yankees vs. Blue Jays: division race goes down to the wire

The battle for the AL East crown is shaping up to be one of the season’s final storylines. For Judge, the message is clear: simply clinching isn’t enough. The Yankees want the division title, and they want to enter October not just as contenders, but as favorites.

The next week will determine whether the Yankees can leapfrog the Blue Jays, or if they’ll enter the postseason as a Wild Card team with unfinished business still looming.