On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
Aaron Judge spent spring training planning how he could avoid a slow start to the season like he had in 2024.
It has worked
Judge, who turns 33 on Saturday, is doing more than hitting well. He’s off to one of the best starts of his career and one of the best Aprils we’ve seen from any Yankee in recent memory.
Through April 24, Judge is batting .411 with a 1.231 OPS, 7 home runs, and 25 RBI. In his first 25 games last season, Judge hit just .191 with four home runs.
So, what’s the difference?
Here are three key things driving his elite start to the 2025 season:
1. He’s Controlling the Zone Better Than Ever
Judge has cut his strikeout rate to 20.4%, down from nearly 30% two years ago , without sacrificing power. He’s doing it by laying off bad pitches. He has just a 18.9% chase rate, and swinging more at strikes, which is up to 69% zone swing rate,
Pitchers have to come to him more often, 49.3% of the pitches he sees are in the strike zone. When pitchers do dare to go there, he’s ready.
And he’s making them pay.
2. He’s Making More Contact and When He Does It’s Loud
Judge isn’t just swinging at the right pitches, he’s actually connecting more often, especially in the zone. His zone contact rate is nearing 80%. When he connects, the results are punishing: a 95.7 mph average exit velocity and a 25% barrel rate.
Nearly 59% of his batted balls are classified as “hard hit”. That is among the best in MLB.
So, he’s striking out less and punishing more pitchers
3. He’s Hitting Line Drives, Not Just Fly Balls
Judge’s line drive rate is up over 25%, while his fly ball rate is down slightly. That shift is leading to more singles, doubles, not just home runs. His BABIP (batting average on balls in play) is an absurd .492. That will eventually come down, but it shows how hard and consistent his contact has been.
Judge has attacked this season like a machine, improving his so-called “weaknesses” to make him overall more dangerous.
More must-reads:
- Aaron Boone passionately defends Yankees regarding media scrutiny
- Red Sox pitcher sounds off on disgruntled sports bettors
- The 'MLB All-Star Game MVPs' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
TODAY'S BEST
Yankees trade options expand with Twins fire sale
While not exactly one-stop shopping, the New York Yankees could address multiple needs ahead of the July 31 MLB trade deadline with a call to the Minnesota Twins. That's because the American League Central club is open for business and bracing for a fire sale. "As of today, the Twins are now seriously listening on their rental players, including (Danny) Coulombe, (Harrison) Bader and (Willi) Castro," the New York Post's Jon Heyman reported Tuesday. "While they will listen on All-Star starter Joe Ryan and star closer Jhoan Duran they’d have to be blown away, especially for Ryan." For the Yankees, the three biggest names there are Coulombe, Duran and Castro. Let's start with the pitchers. It's no secret general manager Brian Cashman wants to upgrade his bullpen for the stretch run. Talk of the Yankees showing interest in Coulombe have been making the rounds for a while now. The 35-year-old left-hander is 1-0 with two saves and an incredible 0.65 ERA in 36 appearances this season. Coulombe is making $3 million this year and will be a free agent following the season. Duran, 27, will have a much higher price tag. The right-hander is 5-4 with 15 saves and a career-best 1.62 ERA in 45 appearances this season. Duran is making $4.125 million this season and has two years of arbitration eligibility remaining. While the Yankees also need starting pitching, it's expected that the Twins will ask for the moon in exchange for their ace. Ryan is tied for second in the American League this season with 10 wins and seventh with a 2.63 ERA. In addition, Ryan is making $3 million this season and also has two seasons of arbitration eligibility remaining. As for Castro, the Yankees' need for an upgrade at third base is well-known. So is New York's interest in Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star slugger Eugenio Suarez. But if Cashman whiffs on the biggest bat on the market, Castro could be an interesting fallback option. "Castro has been an above-average bat for three consecutive seasons and is in the midst of his best year since the pandemic-shortened 2020 season," The Athletic's Chris Kirschner wrote Monday. "He’s played second base, third base, shortstop, left field, center field and right field this season for the Minnesota Twins. Think of Castro as a better version of Oswaldo Cabrera, whom the Yankees love for his versatility." Castro, 28, is hitting .258 this year with 10 home runs and 27 RBI in 78 games. He was an All-Star last year, when he set career highs with 12 home runs and 60 RBI. He's making $6.4 million this season and will be a free agent after the World Series.
Could this young forward answer multiple questions for the Rangers?
Through much of his time with the New York Rangers, Mika Zibanejad has been too good to be a second-line center, yet not quite a top liner for a contender. Now aging out of his prime, his play has dropped off the past two seasons, only rebounding when moved to the wing next to midseason acquisition J.T. Miller. That presents a problem for New York. The Rangers are not deep down the middle. Moving Zibanejad back to center provides that depth, putting Vincent Trochek back in his appropriate 3C role. But does Zibanejad again suffer without Miller? It also leaves the Blueshirts thin on the right side. Zibanejad can’t play two positions at once and the Rangers cannot rob Peter to pay Paul. There is a solution, however: Anaheim Ducks forward Mason McTavish. Anaheim and New York already have strong front office ties, with a pair of trades in the past eight months. The cross-continental line should be open. McTavish is precisely the player archetype that Rangers general manager Chris Drury has sought in this past year. The 22-year-old possesses good size (6-foot-1, 219 pounds) and plays with a grit that Drury adores. An old-fashioned power forward in the making, McTavish hunts bodies, making life miserable for defenders on the forecheck and finds pockets of space when off the puck, where he unloads a cannon of a shot. An all-situations player, McTavish digs in the corners and is developing nicely as an offensive driver. McTavish is a hard worker who shows leadership traits. New Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan loves to play with speed and relentless pressure, a mantra that suits McTavish down to the ground. For a second-line center, McTavish’s numbers don’t exactly pop off the page, but 52 points (22 goals) in 76 games for a bad Ducks team is nothing to sneeze at. In New York, he would also presumably get to play with Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere. Given the playmaking ability of those wingers and McTavish’s heavy shot, 30-plus goals could be on the cards. Bleacher Report has stated that the Ducks are unlikely to extend McTavish an offer sheet, instead willing to match whatever offer comes his way. Does that mean he is on the trade block? At the very least it means that Anaheim will likely be willing to listen to offers. That said, it would take an almighty package to pry the former No. 3 pick out of Orange County. The Ducks would rightly command a first-round pick — if not two — and a highly-rated prospect. New York has its own first-rounders in store, as well as a, likely, late first-rounder next year, with second-round picks each year except 2027. Would New York part with a first, a second and a pair of its top prospects? The Rangers are loaded with left wing prospects. Whilst Gabe Perrault is likely off the table, Brennan Othmann, Adam Sykora and Brett Berard should be discussed, as should defenseman E.J. Emery. Would picks and a pair of prospects be enough for Anaheim, though? Here’s a thought experiment: a deal centered around Will Cuylle. As mentioned, the Rangers have a raft of left wingers coming through and Lafreniere is also a natural left winger. Would trading Cuylle for McTavish solve the Rangers' issues at the pivot, allowing Zibanejad to help fix the right-hand side and give the team room to develop more youngsters on the left? Could this solve three issues in one swoop? It would be a, potentially, seismic move, but it might just make sense for both teams, especially if the Ducks are not looking to keep McTavish around long-term. It would complete a remarkable offseason for Drury.
Ryan Reaves' Clear Opinion of Maple Leafs Captain Auston Matthews
Before Ryan Reaves was traded to the San Jose Sharks earlier this summer, he had a front-row seat to Auston Matthews' first season wearing the “C” for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Matthews dealt with injury setbacks throughout the year, missing 15 games after hurting himself during training camp. He still found a way to finish the season, racking up 78 points in 67 regular-season games, adding 11 points in 13 playoff outings. Reaves appeared on the "Leafs Morning Take" podcast on Monday to discuss that and many other topics. Reaves opened up on his two seasons in Toronto. The enforcer offered insight into what made the 2024–25 campaign unique and how Matthews handled the spotlight during his first year as the team captain. “I think a lot of (Matthews') leadership is led by example,” Reaves said. “He works incredibly hard in practice. And on the ice, I think you see how hard he works in all three zones. “Obviously, grinding through some issues this year, and, you know, really trying to grind through it for the team.” Reaves said that even though Matthews was forced to miss time throughout the season, the captain maintained a presence Reaves — a 38-year-old veteran — found instructive, especially for younger players in the locker room. “To me, Auston was a guy who really led by example, really tried to drag guys into battles, practice,” Reaves said. “Never took days off, never, never coasted in practice. Always working his (expletive) off, on the ice before everybody else, off the ice last, you know. “(It’s) something that, as a vet, it was great to see. It really teaches those young guys how to, how to be, you know, the best in the world.” Reaves, however, acknowledged that Matthews wasn’t the most vocal captain he’d ever played with. That said, the veteran still respected Matthews' approach to leading the Maple Leafs. “Everybody leads differently, right?” Reaves said. “You can’t be the most vocal and the most leading by example, you can’t, you can’t do it all.”
Alabama lands four-star quarterback over BYU, Boise State
The Alabama Crimson Tide are hoping that they've found a player who can compete to be the quarterback of their future. On Tuesday, Tayden Kaawa from Orem, Utah, committed to Kaleb DeBoer and the Crimson Tide. The BYU Cougars were one of Kaawa's finalists, so it's notable that Alabama was able to pull him out of Utah. He's ranked as the No. 6 player from the state, according to the 247Sports Composite. Boise State was also a finalist, but Alabama's reputation spoke for itself on the recruiting trail with the four-star quarterback. “It’s one of the greatest colleges for football,” Kaawa told Steve Wiltfong of Rivals. “The coaches there are great. They make you a better football player and better person.” Kaawa took an official visit to Alabama in June, and it was that visit that really seemed to have sealed the deal for the Crimson Tide. “Love the environment, the coaching staff to the medical staff,” he explained. Kaawa is Alabama's second 2026 quarterback commitment, joining four-star quarterback Jett Thomalla from Omaha, Nebraska. Kawwa is ranked as the No. 26 quarterback in the 2026 class, according to the 247Sports Composite. Thomalla is the No. 12 quarterback according to the same rankings, so it will be interesting to see how the two co-exist in the same class moving forward. With redshirts likely, they could also find themselves on different tracks in Alabama's timeline. Either way, Kaawa is the 20th commitment to an Alabama class that's ranked No. 4 nationally.
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
