Will Yankees’ Aaron Judge face Kryptonite in Royals’ Michael Wacha in ALDS Game 1?
If Aaron Judge is the New York Yankees’ Superman, perhaps the Kansas City Royals think they have his kryptonite in Michael Wacha, their Game 1 starter in the American League Division Series.
Judge has just one hit (a single) in 18 career at-bats (.056) against Wacha, a veteran righty. It’s Judge’s lowest batting average of his career compared to any pitcher he’s faced at least as often.
In that span, Judge has walked three but also struck out eleven. His lone hit against Wacha came last season when Wacha pitched for the San Diego Padres in a game at Yankee Stadium. Judge crushed a 110-mph line drive to left field on a 2-1 count on a 90-mph fastball dangling left over the heart of the plate.
What’s going on so far if Wacha gets the upper hand on Judge?
The Yankees don’t see it as a big problem.
“I’ll narrow this down to a small sample size and I’ll take Aaron Judge against just about anyone on any given day,” manager Aaron Boone said.
“He’s a good pitcher, right?” said hitting coach James Rowson. “He can mix it. He has experience.”
Aaron Boone with the Royals. pic.twitter.com/eu8GC3Wot8
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) October 3, 2024
If the Yankees hope to reach their first World Series since 2009, they will need a lot of help from Judge, who will likely walk away with this year’s American League MVP award. He led the league in home runs (58), RBI (144), walks (133), on-base percentage (.458), slugging percentage (.701) and OPS (1.159). And he did it all while playing from the center field position and leading a Yankees clubhouse in his second season as team captain.
Meanwhile, the 33-year-old Wacha had another strong season. In 29 starts, he went 13-8 with a 3.35 ERA.
He hasn’t faced Judge this season, but Wacha is sure he’s had Judge’s number.
“Probably lucky,” Wacha said with a laugh, according to a report from The Athletics Chris Kirschner in 2022. “I know he hit some balls hard from me. He doesn’t have much to show for that.”
Wacha wasn’t wrong.
Of Judge’s 10 batted balls against Wacha, three have exceeded 100 mph, including a 120 mph grounder that resulted in a double play. Judge has an average exit velocity of 90.5 mph against Wacha, just below his career average of 95.7 mph.
Wacha’s attack features one of the best changes in the game. This season, it has accounted for 32.2 percent of his pitches – more than any of the other five pitches he has thrown. Opponents had just a .169 average and a 34.1 percent whiff rate against his substitution. Judge, on the other hand, faced turnovers 10.5 percent of the time and only had a .229 average against them. (He still hit .625 against the field).
Michael Wacha, Nasty 83mph switch. 😷 pic.twitter.com/lOP7rI39zR
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 24, 2024
Boone had high praise for Wacha.
“(He’s) a tough customer,” the manager said. ‘He always bothered us. We know we have work ahead of us.”
Judge homered in five consecutive games before ending his regular season with a five-strikeout game against rookie Paul Skenes and the Pittsburgh Pirates in Game No. 161.
“I see him in a great place,” Rowson said. “Everyone will have difficult days in this competition, but I think this season speaks for itself. I think what he’s been able to do this year is something that maybe we haven’t seen from a right-handed hitter in the history of the game in terms of what he’s been able to do. So I like where he is.
And Rowson said he doesn’t think Judge will take his past against Wacha with him on Saturday.
“I look at this matchup like it’s a different game,” the hitting coach said. “Now it’s just one game at a time. There’s something in having a track record. Then there is a declaration of presence(s) remaining in the moment that comes to us. I know Judgey will be in the moment.
(Photo: Luke Hales/Getty Images)
