LOS ANGELES – Yoshinobu Yamamoto was in a 2-0 count against Aaron Judge when he released a fastball at the bottom of the strike zone – a pitch that Judge usually punishes. During the regular season, Judge posted an unimaginable .975 batting average in this area. But in the sixth inning of Game 2, he watched the pitch and left the bat on his shoulder.

“When I'm feeling good, I usually shoot it,” Judge said after the Los Angeles Dodgers took a 2-0 lead over the New York Yankees in the World Series.

On the next pitch, Yamamoto hit a curveball in the same spot, but Judge only managed to foul him. Those two pitches stuck with Judge after an 0-for-4 night that included three strikeouts. Judge has now struck out six times in nine at-bats in the first two games of the World Series.

“It definitely eats at you,” Judge said of his struggles. “You want to contribute and help the team, but that’s why you have to keep working and keep going. I can't sit here and feel sorry for myself. Nobody feels sorry for me.”

On the field before Game 2, Judge spoke with Dave Winfield, who George Steinbrenner notoriously called “Mr. May” after the slugger turned in a dismal 1-for-22 performance in the 1981 World Series. The sight of Judge and Winfield chatting before another Yankees-Dodgers World Series felt ironic; 43 years later, the presumptive American League MVP is just 1-for-9 in two games, playing a crucial role in the Yankees' two-game deficit.

Patience with the captain is wearing thin among a championship-hungry fan base. With 19 strikeouts this October, he is now 6-for-40 and 0-for-5 with runners on base in the World Series. Overall, Judge is 0-for-10 with runners scoring this postseason. He has only scored once in his last 24 postseason at-bats in such situations (since 2019). His career .199 postseason batting average is the fifth-worst in franchise history among players with at least 100 plate appearances.

Winning four of the next five games against a strong Dodgers team with stars performing will be nearly impossible if Judge continues to struggle. The Yankees can only hope that Judge, who has been the game's best hitter this season, will ultimately rise to the challenge.

“I think the overall numbers don’t reflect how good he was at hitting,” Giancarlo Stanton said. “Obviously you see the overall numbers he had. He had good attacks, but they didn't show up. He has time to help us win some games.”

In October, all that matters is the results, and when time is running out, the quality of the shots means little. The Yankees can't afford to wait for Judge's “quality” hitting to translate into performance — he must deliver starting Monday in a game Anthony Rizzo called a “must-win.”

The Yankees clinched the American League East thanks in part to Judge's dominant performance during the regular season. You need him now more than ever; Excuses no longer mean anything as Halloween approaches.

“We're all a little worried,” said Yankees third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. “It's the first two World Series games of our careers. You're going to go out there a little scared. I have a feeling when we get home he’ll feel more confident and be a little calmer in front of the home crowd.”

The home crowd may not have his back if his crisis continues. He was booed at Yankee Stadium back in October, and this year will be no exception as the team is down 0-2. If Judge lines up in the first inning on Monday night with a runner on base and comes up short, he's sure to hear jeers.

For the ninth time in 11 postseason games this year, Judge found himself at the plate in the first inning with a runner on base. There is no better catalyst for victory than scoring early and cornering your opponent. With Gleyber Torres on second base, Judge struck out. He is now 0-for-8 with six strikeouts in the first inning when either Torres or Juan Soto reaches base before him.

“I definitely have to compete and do my job,” Judge said. “The people around me are doing their jobs and getting on base. I'm unable to secure it. We have to turn things around in Game 3.”

The judge identified a key issue affecting his performance: the expansion of the strike zone. During the regular season, he was in the 97th percentile in pursuit percentage and made just 18.7 percent of throws outside the zone. However, entering Game 2, he had completed 30.4 percent of his throws from the zone.

Its pitch detection is currently disabled. Judge's emergence as the best batsman in the world is largely due to his swing mechanics, which have given him a significant advantage in timing. When asked if his mechanics were in sync, Judge said he was “at the finish line” and was “close.”

Aaron Judge was an extremely disciplined hitter during the regular season, but he expanded the zone in October. (Harry How/Getty Images)

However, his description of why he felt like he was chasing more than usual is a classic example of pressure, whether he meant to express it or not. So far this October, Judge has only had one standout moment — a game-winning home run off Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase. He's still looking for his defining World Series moment.

“Sometimes you want to let things happen instead of letting the game happen to you,” Judge said. “I think that’s what it really comes down to. You see Gleyber out there on base, Juan getting on base and doing things. You want to try to make a difference. If you can't get a pitch in the zone, you just have to make your walks and set it up for Big G. Simple: I need to start throwing strikes.”

New York Mets starting pitcher Luis Severino playfully mocked his former team during the regular season, joking that the Yankees only had two legitimate hitters in their lineup – meaning Judge and Soto were the only players the opposition Teams really feared.

Soto and Stanton enter October as the two frontrunners, with Torres also contributing. The judge cannot currently claim this status. That spells bad news for the Yankees' chances of winning the World Series.

(Top photo: Harry How / Getty Images)