Apr 12, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Aaron Judge (99) reacts after hitting a two run home run against the Tampa Bay Rays in the ninth inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Aaron Judge has Answers for Yankees Free Fall

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Joseph Randazzo | Last updated Apr 13, 2026 9:51 AM ET

The New York Yankees lost six of their last seven. A sweep at Tropicana Field against the Rays is the type of low that was hard to foresee last week after starting the season 7-1. Sitting with an 8-7 record now, the vibe around the team has shifted.

While pitching has carried the Yankees, the lineup's inability to produce (highlighted by last week's 1-0 loss to the Athletics) is the most significant cause for this free fall. You can't win if you can't hit.

Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

After the loss, Aaron Judge was asked why things are going so poorly. To him, it's all about their approach. The team as a whole is trying to do too much at the plate.

"We need to simplify some things at the plate," Judge said, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch. "We're trying to hit every single pitch we see up there and getting ourselves in some bad counts and bad situations. As a group, if we simplify our approach a little bit, hunt the pitch that we're looking for and pass the baton, I think we'll be in a better spot."

A simple answer

One thing Judge says the Yankees need to do is apply pressure on pitchers. The best way to do that is to get as much traffic on the bases as possible.

"We didn't get a lot of traffic when we needed to in this series," Judge continued. "We had one hit for the majority of the game, and a couple of these games. I think if guys take their walks when they need to and focus on a pitch they can drive, we'll be in a better spot."

The Yankees by the numbers

If what Judge is saying is true, the Yankees' lineup highlights the old baseball adage that you can't hit five-run home runs in one swing. They could start with scoring a run and go from there.

As a team, the Yankees' .202 average is 28th in baseball. Their .653 OPS is 25th, and their team's 93 wRC+ is 20th.

What they need is better production from guys not named Ben Rice. Rice, with a 1.256 OPS on the season, is the only one in the lineup with an OPS north of .800. Even Judge is scuffling a bit, hitting to a .783 OPS. Rice and Judge are two of four Yankees with a wRC+ above 100, while Trent Grisham, Austin Wells, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. are in an offensive free fall.

Grisham leads that bunch with a 73 wRC+. Wells has a 44 wRC+, and Chisholm has a 45.

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This article first appeared on New York Yankees on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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