MLB analyst draws focus to pitchers' major concern about Aaron Judge

Aaron Judge, New York Yankees captain and the unanimous recipient of the 2024 AL MVP, was a living monster on the plate in 2024. He hit a major league-leading 58 home runs and led his team to the World Series where they fell short against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

There came a stage in the season where managers thought that it would be better to intentionally walk him than allow him to take a pie at the plate. Former MLB star Cliff Floyd placed the spotlight on a major concern shared by pitchers when facing Judge.

"I think when you understand it, for a guy like him, a slugger like him, as good as he is, you can never make a mistake to this guy," Floyd said on MLB Network as he warned pitchers who faces him.

"And when you do, he’s going to make you pay every single time. You can’t say that about anybody else in the league, in my opinion. This guy changes everything about how you prepare because that pitch is going to go out there and overthink the situation. He’s going to make them pay."

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Cliff Floyd heaps praise on Aaron Judge after making an adjustment following early season struggles

MLB: World Series-Los Angeles Dodgers at New York Yankees - Source: Imagn

Aaron Judge started his 2024 struggle poorly. Especially in the early months, he struggled to get anything going, prompting him to make an adjustment, which earned him praise from Cliff Floyd.

Floyd noted that while Judge’s early struggles last year led some to question his adjustments, he quickly proved his doubters wrong.

"The first month of the season last year, I’m thinking to myself, he has to make adjustments this season. Boy, did he ever make an adjustment," Floyd said.

The analyst compared Aaron Judge's 2022 MVP season with the 2024 campaign.

"I think the big thing is, I think he could be better than the 2022 season," Floyd added. "He is 60, and I’m thinking, OK, that’s it. That’s the limit. He’s going to be this type of player. You know, 60-50.

"I think 2024 was better than 2022. I think 2024 put him in a position where he played 158 games. He played center field. Look at the average. Yeah. Look at the homers, even though they’re down. Forget that. But look at everything else."

The only metric where Judge was down in 2024 when compared to 2022 was his home run tally. He broke the AL record for most home runs, smashing 62 in 2022. In 2024, he struck 58, but led in all other categories.

That's why Aaron Judge was ranked the best centerfielder in the majors at the moment by The Shredder. Here's the list:

1. Aaron Judge (New York Yankees) – Last year: No. 1 Right Fielder (RF)
2. Julio Rodríguez (Seattle Mariners) – 3
3. Luis Robert Jr. (Chicago White Sox) – 8
4. Mike Trout (Los Angeles Angels) – 1
5. Michael Harris II (Atlanta Braves) – 5
6. James Outman (Los Angeles Dodgers) – Not Ranked (NR)
7. Byron Buxton (Minnesota Twins) – 2
8. Cedric Mullins (Baltimore Orioles) – 7
9. TJ Friedl (Cincinnati Reds) – Not Ranked (NR)
10. Brandon Marsh (Philadelphia Phillies) – Not Ranked (NR)