Aaron Judge Assigns Blame As Yankees Continue to Sprial

Aaron Judge didn’t ease into his return.

After missing over two weeks with a strain in his right elbow, the Yankees’ captain was activated Tuesday and inserted as the designated hitter. But his presence wasn’t enough to stop the bleeding or the finger-pointing. 

As the Yankees dropped their fifth straight game, falling 2-0 to the Rangers, the calls for a change in leadership were growing louder. Yankees fans were howling for Aaron Boone’s job and wanted Brian Cashman to be sent packing with him. 

But, Judge made it clear who bears the blame.

“About us in this room, we’ve got to step up, look ourselves in the mirror and do our job,” he said.

That was the message from a captain who went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in his first game back. Judge didn’t shift the focus to his own timing at the plate or the limitations of his injury. He kept the spotlight squarely on the team’s performance and their accountability.

New York has now lost 19 of its last 27 games and watched a once-secure playoff position slip into a Wild Card race that’s tightening by the day. The loss dropped them behind Boston and just a half-game ahead of Texas for the final AL Wild Card spot.

Mistakes continue to mount. On Tuesday, it was another bullpen collapse, another critical misplay in the field, and another night where the offense failed to deliver in key spots.

For Judge, the diagnosis was simple.

Do your job.

With the standings getting tighter, Judge’s words carry weight. The Yankees have time to turn this around, but not if they keep looking elsewhere for answers or excuses.

The answers, as Judge reminded everyone Tuesday night, have to come from within.