Despite taking the series, the New York Yankees remain critical of their offensive output. Following a lopsided victory in Game 1 against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the bats quieted down over the final two games as opposing pitching staff took full advantage of Aaron Judge‘s absence, a growing concern manager Aaron Boone addressed after the series.
“For us to reach our peak, we’ve got to get some guys going and be a more consistent attack night in and night out,” Boone said regarding the lineup’s slump and the void left by their captain.
“Aaron Judge is a massive presence in our offense, but he’s not out there right now,” Boone added. “Look at the names we have in this room, those guys are more than capable of stepping up and filling that void.”
Even with Jazz Chisholm Jr. putting on a show—earning praise from teammates as ‘the best in the world’—New York is also feeling the sting of missing Giancarlo Stanton, who remains sidelined on the injured list alongside Judge.
Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees gets ready to bat.
Why Aaron Judge is vital to the Yankees’ offense
Beyond raw production, Judge fundamentally changes how opposing managers and pitchers game-plan against New York. Without the constant threat of his bat—which had already produced 17 home runs prior to his stint on the shelf—opposing hurlers can attack the rest of the order with far less caution.
Without Judge’s pitch-selection leverage and fear factor, opposing pitching staffs can go right after the rest of the lineup, forcing surrounding hitters into unfavorable counts and tougher pitches to drive.
Judge’s elite walk rate and .375 on-base percentage normally extend innings and create traffic on the basepaths. Without his ability to reset the lineup, the Yankees have suffered prolonged dry spells with runners in scoring position (RISP), dragging down their overall run production.
Who must step up for New York without Judge and Stanton?
Missing his top two power hitters has forced Boone to tinker with the batting order. Following his call to “get some guys going” after closing out Pittsburgh, several key hitters must turn things around to keep the Yankees afloat:
- Ben Rice: The 2026 breakout star became a premier force early in the season, hitting 29 home runs and flashing elite metrics when paired with Judge.
- Cody Bellinger: As a former NL MVP, Bellinger brings versatile defense and contact capability to the middle of the lineup.
- Jasson Dominguez: “The Martian” possesses dynamic switch-hitting power and speed in the outfield.
SurveyWithout Judge and Stanton in the roster, which player do you think should help the most the Yankees?
Without Judge and Stanton in the roster, which player do you think should help the most the Yankees?
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