A Deep Dive: Judge’s Elimination Games

by Paul Semendinger

June

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NOTE - This article was written for and first published by the IBWAA in their newsletter Here's The Pitch on June 20, 2026.

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Aaron Judge is one of the greats in the game today.  Of that there is no question and no debate.  He is a superstar.  

Maybe unfortunately, Aaron Judge plays for the New York Yankees where there is an expectation that superstars bring World Series championships.  To date, Judge has not delivered on that hope or promise.  Aaron Judge risks going down in history as the greatest Yankee to never win a championship.

I decided to do a deep dive into Aaron Judge's performances in post season elimination ("Win or Go Home") games to see if there is any correlation between his lack of rings and his own performance in those big games. 

Has Aaron Judge worked to erase the championship drought or has he contributed to it?

Here are the results:

2017 Wild Card vs Minnesota Twins

Team Result - Yankees Win 8-4

Aaron Judge - 2 for 3, HR, 1 walk, 2 runs batted in, 3 runs scored

2017 ALDS Game 5 vs Cleveland Indians

Team Result - Yankees Win 5-2

Aaron Judge - 0 for 5, 4 strikeouts

2017 Game 7 vs Houston Astros

Team Result - Yankees Lose 4-0

Aaron Judge - 0-for-4, strikeout

2018 Wild Card vs Oakland A's

Team Result - Yankees Win 7-2

Aaron Judge - 2 for 3, 2B, HR, 2 runs batted in, 2 runs scored

2018 ALDS Game 4 vs Boston Red Sox

Team Result - Yankees Lose 4-3

Aaron Judge - 0 for 3, BB, run scored

2019 ALCS Game 6 vs Houston Astros

Team Result - Yankees Lose 6-4

Aaron Judge - 1 for 4, walk, 2 strikeouts

2020 ALDS Game 5 vs Tampa Bay Rays

Team Result - Yankees Lose 2-1

Aaron Judge - 1 for 3, HR, run, RBI, walk

2021 Wild Card vs Boston Red Sox

Team Result - Yankees Lose 6-2

Aaron Judge - 1 for 4

2022 ALDS Game 5 vs Cleveland Guardians

Team Result - Yankees Win 5-1

Aaron Judge - 2 for 4, HR, run, rbi, 2 strikeouts

2022 ALCS Game 4 vs Houston Astros

Team Result - Yankees Lose 6-5

Aaron Judge - 0 for 4, walk, strikeout

2024 World Series Game 5 vs Los Angeles Dodgers

Team Result - Yankees Lose 7-6

Aaron Judge - 2 for 3, HR, 2 runs batted in, run, 2 walks

2025 Wild Card vs Bron Red Sox

Team Result - Yankees Win 4-0

Aaron Judge - 0 for 3

2025 ALDS Game 4 vs Toronto Blue Jays

Team Result - Yankees Lose 5-2

Aaron Judge - 2 for 4, rbi, walk, strikeout

Summary - In elimination games, Aaron Judge's Yankees have won 5 games and lost 8.  

Aaron Judge has 15 hits in 54 at bats (.278) with 1 double, 5 home runs, 11 runs batted in, 11 runs scored.  He has walked 8 times and struck out 12 times.  

During the regular season, Aaron Judge homers in 9% of his at bats.  In elimination games, he has homered in 9% of his at bats.

During his career, Aaron Judge's Yankees have certainly failed to win the big prize, but in the win or go home games, Aaron Judge has performed basically at his standard levels.  The Yankees' overall poor performance in these games cannot be pinned on Aaron Judge.  

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Paul runs the Yankees site, Start Spreading the News.  He is the author of numerous baseball books including The Greatest New York Yankees By Uniform Number.  Paul is also the author of West Point at Gettysburg, Impossible is an Illusion, 365.2, and Scattering the Ashes.