Aaron Judge’s playoff slump is over. Now it’s his time to carry the Yankees to the World Series

NEW YORK — In the midst of the celebration, Gleyber Torres was catching hell. Aaron Judge had finally hit his first home run of this postseason, a towering blast that cleared the wall in center field. But as the ball sliced through the darkness of the night, Torres, leading off first base, did something peculiar. He tagged up.

When the ball finally went out, Yankee Stadium erupted because it gave the New York Yankees four runs of breathing room in what became a 6-3 win over the Cleveland Guardians in Game 2 of the best-of-seven American League Championship Series on Tuesday. The Yankees moved to just two wins away from reaching their first World Series since 2009.

But Judge was still surprised, even hours later. He had nearly passed Torres while rounding first base after the seventh-inning, two-run shot. Did Torres really doubt that Judge — masher of an MLB-best 58 home runs in the regular season — had put enough of his 6-foot-7, 282-pound frame into the swing for the ball to leave the yard?

“He did that this year earlier too when I hit (a home run),” Judge said, smiling. “So, I was pretty pissed then. I was pretty pissed again.”

Inside the dugout, Torres’ teammates let him hear it.

“I’m a little disappointed in Gleyber for not knowing Judge’s pop there,” first baseman Anthony Rizzo said. “We were ribbing him a lot about that.”

“I feel a little bit embarrassed,” Torres admitted.

The playoffs rarely allow time for laughs, with each pitch mattering more than the next. Judge’s home run let the Yankees exhale — for so many reasons.

But especially because it showed Judge just how important it is for him to be the driving force that takes them the rest of the way to the World Series.

“Always a matter of time with Aaron,” manager Aaron Boone said.

The prevailing thought was that if the Yankees were going to play deep into October, they would need Judge to continue the production that has him all but certain to win his second AL Most Valuable Player Award.

Until Tuesday, that hadn’t happened. Offensively, he had struggled, hitting .133 (2-for-15) through the first five playoff games, though he did draw six walks. It had continued a theme of not rising to the occasion in the postseason that had been a major smudge against his otherwise illustrious career.

But Judge may be changing that.

In his first at-bat, he lifted a pop up at 103.3 mph that seemed to scream back to the earth even faster and Cleveland shortstop Brayan Rocchio dropped it, allowing Torres to score from third base to give the Yankees a 1-0 lead in the first. Then in the second inning, the Guardians surprised by intentionally walking Juan Soto to load the bases for Judge against starting pitcher Tanner Bibee. Judge lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to bring home Rizzo to make it a 3-0 game.

After flying out in the fifth, Judge bashed his first homer of the playoffs — and it took some of the weight off the Yankees’ shoulders, allowing the bullpen to work with a sizable lead.

And it lifted the Yankees, who were desperate for their captain to join the party.

“It’s so easy to root for him,” Rizzo said. “In these games, it really doesn’t matter who it is (or) how excited we are for everyone. But when Aaron does stuff, it’s extra special just because he’s such a special human being.”

Judge said the expectations on him weren’t weighing him down.

“Just don’t make any moment too big, man,” he said. “It’s still the same game we play and we’ve been playing our whole life. So that’s how I try to treat it.”

Except now it’s different. Judge has been to the ALCS three times before — 2017, 2019 and 2022. The Yankees lost in all three. He knows the stakes are higher than ever, especially since he’s never before been ahead two games to none in a championship series after coming into it as the top seed.

Judge has already put himself in the pantheon of some of the most talented and productive Yankees of all time. He already has one MVP award. In 2022, he set the single-season record for home runs in the AL with 62. He’s the team’s 16th official captain, a Rookie of the Year winner and a six-time All-Star.

But he’s not a World Series champion. That matters.

All that’s missing from Aaron Judge’s illustrious career as a Yankee is a World Series championship. (Photo: Elsa / Getty Images)

“It doesn’t matter what you do during a 162-game schedule,” Yankees great Derek Jeter said at Old-Timer’s Day in August. “It all boils down to the World Series. Win a championship or it’s a failure.”

The Yankees will be off Wednesday, using the day to have a light workout before flying to Cleveland for Thursday’s Game 5. Progressive Field hasn’t been kind to Judge throughout his career. In 20 games there, he’s hit just .214 (15-for-70) with two home runs.

A silver lining? The Guardians are expected to start left-hander Matthew Boyd in Game 3, and in 11 career plate appearances against him, Judge has a home run, two total hits and five walks.

“I’ve been on the losing side of a lot of postseason games, and those are tough,” Judge said. “I’ve been on the other side of some good wins. All that matters is we went out there and took care of business, and we’ve got to move on to the next one.”

And when it comes to homers, Judge needs to hit his next one, and his next one after that. It’s time for him to be the driving force that puts away the ALCS and brings the Yankees to the World Series.

(Top photo of Judge rounding the bases: Luke Hales / Getty Images)