Aaron Judge: The Unstoppable Force of 2025
When it comes to Aaron Judge, the New York Yankees’ superstar, the word “phenomenal” might just be an understatement. For years, Judge has been making the extraordinary look routine, and in 2025, he’s taken his game to a whole new level. Fans are so captivated by his at-bats that there’s a noticeable delay in the usual rush to the concession stands. Let’s dive into the numbers and see why Judge is the talk of the town.
Even after a modest 1-for-5 performance with a double on Sunday, Judge is boasting a jaw-dropping .423/.510/.777 slash line. His eighth-inning double on Sunday extended his hitting streak to 14 games, during which he’s hit .474 with 10 extra-base hits. His on-base streak now stands at 30 games. Judge leads the majors in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, and hits, and he’s tied with Teoscar Hernandez for the lead in RBIs. He also tops the charts in WAR, OPS+, and weighted runs created.
After a remarkable 62-homer season in 2022 and an even better all-around performance in 2024, Judge has somehow elevated his game once more. He’s hitting at a level that places him among the legends of baseball, such as Babe Ruth, Josh Gibson, Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle, and Barry Bonds.
“We’re watching one of the best ever to play this game,” Yankees broadcaster Paul O’Neill remarked during Judge’s recent hot streak. It’s hard to argue with that sentiment. His at-bats are must-see TV, worth delaying that hot dog or beer run. Let’s break down some of the numbers.
.423 Batting Average
Here are the highest batting averages through 34 team games since division play began in 1969:
- Paul O’Neill, 1994 Yankees: .459/.562/.847, 9 HRs, 31 RBIs
- Rod Carew, 1983 Angels: .449/.480/.593, 2 HRs, 21 RBIs
- Luis Arraez, 2023 Marlins: .430/.483/.533, 1 HR, 12 RBIs
- Barry Bonds, 1993 Giants: .429/.539/.813, 8 HRs, 29 RBIs
- Aaron Judge, 2025 Yankees: .423/.510/.777, 11 HRs, 33 RBIs
Judge ranks fifth on this list. Yankees fans might recall O’Neill’s blistering start in 1994 when he was hitting .475 through 41 games and stayed above .400 until June 16, finishing at .359 in the strike-shortened season. Arraez, a singles hitter, was last over .400 on June 24 before ending with a career-best .354 average.
Judge, however, is not just a singles hitter. He’s maintained his average while hitting more home runs through 34 games than anyone else on the list. While some regression is expected, given his .500 average on balls in play (compared to .367 last season), even a drop to a .367 BABIP would result in a .331 average for the rest of the season, culminating in a .351 final average.
In an era where the league-wide batting average is just .242, Judge’s performance is even more impressive. Since 1969, there have been nine seasons with an MLB average under .250. Ignoring the shortened 2020 season, here are the top averages in those years:
- 1969: Pete Rose, .348 (16 HRs)
- 1971: Joe Torre, .363 (24 HRs)
- 1972: Billy Williams, .333 (37 HRs)
- 2018: Mookie Betts, .346 (32 HRs)
- 2021: Trea Turner, .328 (28 HRs)
- 2022: Jeff McNeil, .326 (9 HRs)
- 2023: Luis Arraez, .354 (10 HRs)
- 2024: Bobby Witt Jr., .332 (32 HRs)
Some of these players had power, but not on Judge’s level. Assuming Judge’s average eventually declines, a .350 season with 50 home runs is still within reach. The only player to achieve that since 1947 was Mickey Mantle in 1956, when he hit .353 with 52 home runs.
1.287 OPS
Here are the five highest OPS totals through 34 team games since 1969:
- Barry Bonds, 2004 Giants: .356/.621/.849, 10 HR 22 RBI, 1.470 OPS
- Barry Bonds, 2002 Giants: .350/.603/.825, 11 HR, 20 RBI, 1.428 OPS
- Paul O’Neill, 1994 Yankees: .459/.562/.847, 9 HR, 31 RBI, 1.409 OPS
- Barry Bonds, 1993 Giants: .429/.539/813, 8 HR, 29 RBI, 1.352 OPS
- Cody Bellinger, 2019 Dodgers: .415/.489/.847, 14 HR, 38 RBI, 1.337 OPS
Judge is tied for 15th here, but context is key. Most of these starts occurred during the high-scoring era between 1993 and 2007, with four belonging to Bonds. Even Bellinger’s start was during the juiced-ball year in 2019.
Another perspective on Judge’s dominance: Pete Alonso is the only other hitter with an OPS over 1.000 this season. As ESPN’s Jeff Passan noted, “He is the best hitter in baseball and it is not particularly close.”
The Bonds comparisons are intriguing because, as Jeff suggested, it will be interesting to see if Judge starts receiving the Bonds treatment—lots of intentional walks. While Judge won’t reach Bonds’ peak of 120 intentional walks in 2004, his total might increase if he stays hot. So far, Judge has received only four intentional walks, on pace to match the 20 he received last season. The Rays challenged him on Sunday, even after five consecutive multi-hit games. But with an OPS over 300 points higher than anyone else on the Yankees’ roster, opposing managers might soon reconsider.
270 wRC+ (Entering Sunday)
While others have had similar hot starts in terms of raw numbers, advanced metrics reveal the true context of Judge’s performance. Entering Sunday, he had a weighted runs created (wRC+) of 270, adjusting for league and home park effects. Although this number will likely drop, it would still be the highest ever, surpassing Bonds’ 244 in 2002 and 235 in 2001. Even with expected regression, Judge has a shot at a historic season compared to the rest of the league.
To emphasize Judge’s historical significance: His 218 wRC+ in 2024 ranks seventh all-time, despite hitting an uncharacteristic .207 with a .754 OPS and just six home runs in March/April of last season. Judge took off from there, so let’s examine his past 162 games: .366/.491/.773, resulting in a 1.264 OPS. In other words, Judge’s first 34 games in 2025 are a continuation of his final five months of the 2024 regular season. It’s truly a historic level of hitting.
20.3% Strikeout Percentage
All these incredible numbers raise one question: How is Judge doing it? How is he improving at age 33, when most players—even stars—begin to decline?
The answer is simple: He’s making more contact. Check out his strikeout rates from his biggest seasons:
- 2017: 52 home runs: 30.7% SO rate, .284 average
- 2022: 62 home runs, 25.1% SO rate, .311 average
- 2024: 58 home runs, 24.3% SO rate, .322 average
- 2025: 52 home runs (pace), 20.3% SO rate, .423 average
Judge has taken the improvement from early in his career to his recent MVP-level seasons to another level in 2025.
What explains the lower strikeout rate? Judge’s swing metrics and chase rates are consistent with previous years, except for one thing: He’s making slightly more contact on pitches in the zone. His directional hits are similar, so it’s not like he’s hitting more to right-center. The hits are simply falling.
.845 Slugging Percentage vs. Softer Stuff
One standout aspect of Judge’s performance is his damage against softer pitches this year. He’s slugging .845 against pitches 94 mph or less, with the fastest pitch he homered off being a 93.7 mph sinker from Tim Mayza. The complete list, starting with his three-homer day against the Brewers, includes: 88.2 mph cutter, 88.8 mph cutter, 85.4 mph changeup, 89.7 mph cutter, 93.2 mph four-seamer, 93.7 mph sinker, 93.1 mph sinker, 87.6 mph cutter, 91.4 mph sinker, 82.6 mph sweeper, 88.7 mph slider.
What does this mean? Are pitchers not challenging Judge with hard stuff enough? Well, Judge can hit the hard stuff too. Check out his results against pitches of 95-plus mph over the past two seasons:
- 2024: .380/.464/.686, 25.5% SO rate
- 2025: .500/.538/.667, 19.2% SO rate
While he hasn’t homered against a 95-plus fastball in 2025, he’s still getting hits. Overall, 17.7% of the pitches Judge has seen this year have been 95-plus, compared to 19.8% last season. This could mean pitchers are throwing him more offspeed pitches, or the Yankees have faced less velocity this season.
Since 2022, Judge has been slightly weaker against breaking balls than fastballs, which is generally true for all hitters. However, he’s improved in that department since last season. Yes, he’s still somewhat susceptible to sliders off the plate from right-handed pitchers, but reaching that two-strike count is becoming increasingly difficult.
In essence, we’re witnessing a hitter at the peak of his talent, experience, and aptitude. And here’s the scary part: Judge hasn’t even gone on one of his signature home run binges yet. Buckle up, because this season is shaping up to be one for the ages.
Originally Written by: David Schoenfield
