Why the Guardians Took a Risk with Judge instead of Soto

Imagine this scenario: a baseball team, the Guardians, decides to walk a superstar like Juan Soto to face another big name, Aaron Judge, in a crucial playoff game. This isn’t a regular strategy, but it happened in the second inning of Game 2 of the ALCS. Manager Stephen Vogt explained that it was a strategic move to potentially get a double play and limit the damage with the bases loaded. However, Judge only managed a sacrifice fly, extending the lead to 3-0. This decision might continue as long as Judge isn’t performing like he did during the MVP season, with his postseason performance currently showing a .167 batting average and a .735 OPS.

The New York Yankees have taken a commanding 2-0 series lead, with Aaron Judge driving in three runs in their 6-3 win. Judge himself commented on the intentional walk, saying that every out is crucial in high-stakes games. The series shifts to Cleveland for Game 3, with Clarke Schmidt set to start for the Yankees.

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