Aaron Judge is doing it again. The Yankees captain is putting up MVP-caliber numbers, and the rest of baseball has stopped pretending to be surprised.
Judge has a .270 batting average, a .401 on-base percentage, a 1.044 OPS, 15 home runs and 29 RBIs in the early part of the 2026 season. Those numbers are not just good. They are historically dominant for this point in the year.
The .401 OBP is the most important stat in there. Pitchers have stopped giving Judge anything to hit. He is being pitched around. He is getting intentionally walked. He is taking bases on balls at a higher rate than ever. He is still getting on base at a 40 percent clip despite seeing some of the worst pitches in the league.
The 1.044 OPS speaks for itself. That is otherworldly production from the cleanup spot. Judge is on pace for another 50-plus home run season. He is on pace for another 100-plus RBI season. He is on pace for another All-Star appearance. The only difference between 2026 and 2024 is the supporting cast around him.
This is where the Yankees have a problem. Judge cannot do it alone. The lineup needs more help. Giancarlo Stanton is on the injured list with a calf strain. Jasson Dominguez is on the injured list with a shoulder sprain after crashing into the outfield wall. The middle of the order has lost some of its punch.
Aaron Boone has been creative with the lineup. He has rotated guys through the cleanup spot behind Judge. He has tried different configurations. He has stuck with Judge in the DH role for parts of games to keep him fresh. It has worked enough to keep the Yankees in playoff contention but not enough to make them serious AL East favorites.
The injury concern with Judge himself is real. He had a flexor strain last July and missed time. He returned in August but moved primarily to designated hitter. He avoided offseason surgery. MLB insider Jon Heyman has reported positive updates on his elbow. So far in 2026, he has been fully healthy and playing the outfield when needed.
The Yankees need to get their other stars healthy. The Boston Red Sox are surging. The Toronto Blue Jays have improved. The Tampa Bay Rays are always a threat. The AL East is going to be a dogfight, and Judge cannot win it by himself.
What makes this season interesting is the MVP race. Judge is firmly in it. Shohei Ohtani is also in it because Ohtani is always in everything. There are a few other dark horse candidates. The MVP race might come down to who has the better second half, but Judge is making a strong case from the front.
The Yankees still have the tools to make a deep run. The pitching has been okay. The bullpen has been better than expected. The defense has improved. They just need Judge to keep being Judge, and they need everyone else to support him.
Judge is doing his part. Now the rest of the team needs to do theirs.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
