2024 World Series: Yankees star Aaron Judge's wild roller coaster series

Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees’ 2024 season ended in heartbreaking fashion on Wednesday night when they blew a 5-0 fifth-inning lead against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 of the World Series and later watched as Los Angeles moved on Win the series.

Judge’s performance has been the focus this postseason, particularly in the World Series, in a rocky five-game stretch for the 2022 – and likely 2024 – American League MVP.

Here are the World Series highlights and low points for Judge, who was playing in his first career Fall Classic.

Game 1 Qual

Judge entered the World Series after struggling in the final two rounds. In New York’s nine total games in the American League playoffs against the Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Guardians, he totaled two home runs, six RBIs and 13 strikeouts while posting a .161/.317/.387 slash line. To put this into perspective, Judge hit 58 home runs in the regular season and posted a .701 slugging percentage.

(RELATED: Complete coverage of the World Series)

Judge didn’t silence the critics in Game 1 of the World Series.

The Yankees led 3-2 until the bottom of the 10th inning, and of course Freddie Freeman hit a walk-off grand slam with two outs. New York left 11 runners on base, with Judge stranding four of them while striking out three times and finishing 1 for 5.

Drought in the middle of the series

Judge went a combined 0-7 in Games 2 and 3, striking out three times.

In Game 2, he left two runners behind. In the top of the ninth inning, with the Yankees within two runs and loading the bases with one out, he struck out. The Dodgers won 4-2 in games 2 and 3.

John Smoltz breaks Aaron Judge’s cold playoff streak

Game 4 lives

With New York staring at a sweep — and Judge’s offensive struggles becoming the focus of team scrutiny — the superstar outfielder showed signs of awakening on his final at-bat of the game, hitting a single to left field that put the Yankees in scoring. 11th run of an 11-4 win. Judge had previously gotten on base via base-on-balls, a pitch hit and an infield error.

He carried that momentum into Game 5.

The Yankees come ALIVE in Game 4

Game 5 Duality

In Game 5, Judge was in action early and often – both positively and negatively.

Judge got the Yankees rolling in the first inning with a two-run home run to right field, giving them a 2-0 lead that later became a 5-0 lead. Then, early in the fourth inning, Judge made a diving catch with the palm of his glove on the wall, robbing Freeman of a potential extra-base hit and the Dodgers of a run.

Dodgers vs. Yankees: MINI-FILM of the 2024 World Series

But at the start of the fifth period, Judge made a fatal error and dropped a line drive at midfield. Later in the inning, shortstop Anthony Volpe made a throwing error and starting pitcher Gerrit Cole didn’t make it to first base, allowing Anthony Rizzo to throw the ball to him for the possible inning-ending out. The Dodgers scored five runs in the inning to tie the game. While the Yankees regained the lead with a sacrifice fly in the sixth, the Dodgers took the lead with two sacrifice flights in the eighth.

Judge doubled in the bottom of the eighth – and came in twice in the game – to tie the score, but the Yankees couldn’t equalize and lost 7-6.

Judge’s only home run and error in the World Series occurred in Game 5.

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