New York Yankees

Aaron Judge could land a 10-year, $500 million contract in free agency this offseason, agent Leigh Steinberg projected to Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports.

"He immediately and dramatically enhances a team's offensive output. He's a good team player. And for any team that's not sold out, he's an immediate box office draw," Steinberg said of Judge. "So he might be one of the few players who pays for part of his contract in ticket sales."

Steinberg doesn't represent Judge, but he did negotiate the 10-year, $450 million contract for Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes, which was the largest contract in American sports at the time.

Judge could set a record in MLB, topping the total value in Mike Trout's 12-year, $426.5 million contract. Max Scherzer currently has the most average annual value at $43.3 million per year.

Judge will certainly be in high demand after a historic 2022 season in which he totaled 62 home runs, 131 RBI and 133 runs, all league-leading numbers. His .311 batting average was also a career high to go with a .425 on-base percentage and 1.111 OPS.

The outfielder turned down an offer worth $230.5 million over eight seasons in April and now has the chance to cash in big this offseason.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported the Yankees' biggest competition for Judge could come from the San Francisco Giants. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reported the Los Angeles Dodgers could be "serious players" for Judge. Other big-market teams like the New York Mets, Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox could also get involved in the sweepstakes.

It will create a major bidding war that could reset the market in the sport.

Of course, the Yankees will do everything they can to keep the superstar in the Bronx.

"There's a pot of gold there," general manager Brian Cashman said of Judge's contract. "It’s yet to be determined what the gold—how much it weighs—but it's a pot of gold, no doubt about it. So good for him. It was already a big pot and, obviously, it'll be bigger."

Judge's value both on the field and in the box office could lead to the first-ever $500 million deal.

Aaron Judge's historic 2022 season ended in an embarrassing ALCS sweep at the hands of the Houston Astros, leaving the New York Yankees—and Judge—to head into an offseason rife with uncertainty.

He will be the top name on a loaded free-agent market, but he did not seem remotely ready to deal with his future in the aftermath of Sunday's 6-5 loss.

"That's all going to run through my agent. I haven't even thought about the next step yet," Judge told reporters. "But like I said, we've got time to figure it out."

Judge is almost certainly looking at making over $300 million guaranteed this offseason after turning down a seven-year, $213.5 million offer from the Yankees before the 2022 season. He responded by having perhaps the best contract walk year in MLB history, mashing an AL record 62 home runs and narrowly missing out on the Triple Crown.

There will be no shortage of suitors on the open market, with several teams with open checkbooks coming off disappointing seasons. The San Francisco Giants, located about two hours away from Judge's hometown of Sacramento, have been mentioned often as perhaps the Yankees' most formidable opponent in the upcoming bidding war.

For his part, Judge has largely maintained a desire to stay in New York. The Yankees, in theory, have the deepest financial coffers in baseball. There is no reason—beyond a failing of the front office—for Judge to wind up playing anywhere else moving forward.

"I've been clear about that since I first wore the pinstripes. But we couldn't get something done before spring training," Judge said of his desire to return. "I'm a free agent. We'll see what happens."

Let it be known that the phrase "Be careful what you wish for" can simply be replaced with "We want Houston!" Fewer words. Fewer syllables. Same idea.

So, thanks for that, New York Yankees fans. Now do yourselves a favor and wish for your team to figure out how to get back to the World Series.

We wish we could say that the Bronx Bombers at least ended their 2022 campaign with a heroic last stand at Yankee Stadium. But, alas, we cannot. The 6-5 loss that secured a sweep of the American League Championship Series for the Houston Astros on Saturday was indeed an ugly affair for the home team.

Early on, there was a hobbled Nestor Cortes giving up an early 3-0 lead. Later, there was a defensive miscue that triggered a decisive two-run rally by Houston. And in the end, there was 62-homer slugger Aaron Judge grounding meekly back to the mound for the final out.

Sweep ✅
World Series bound ✅

For the third time in four years, the @astros are going to the World Series! #CLINCHED #postseason pic.twitter.com/UOHh4QcBAo

— MLB (@MLB) October 24, 2022

With that, the Yankees made it 13 years in a row without an appearance in the World Series. And while nobody can take away any of the organization's 27 championships, it's fair game to point out that the one from 2009 is its only successful title run in the last 22 years.

Clearly, some soul-searching is in order.

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What the Heck Just Happened?

Let's back up and grant that the Yankees won 99 games this year. A season like that can't happen without a whole lot going right.

Above all, there was Judge going beyond what even he might have expected of himself after he rejected a $230 million contract offer in April. He had arguably the most impressive home run-hitting season in MLB history.

Gerrit Cole turned in yet another fine season, while Cortes broke out and became his unlikely co-ace. Credit that to the Yankees' analytics and coaching staffs, who likewise deserve some for Clay Holmes' emergence as an All-Star closer, Matt Carpenter's midsummer revival and an infield defense that collectively improved by 29 outs above average over 2021.

At the absolute pinnacle of their season on July 8, the Yankees were 38 games over .500 and on pace to set a major league record with 118 wins. Life was good, in other words.

Further, nobody can accuse the Yankees of not trying to bolster themselves at the Aug. 2 trade deadline. They outfitted their roster with the contact-hitting outfielder (Andrew Benintendi), defensive center fielder (Harrison Bader), starter (Frankie Montas) and relievers (Lou Trivino and Scott Effross) that it clearly needed.

That the Yankees nonetheless finished the regular season on a 38-40 run prior to the Astros outclassing them in the ALCS can largely be chalked up to every would-be World Series contender's worst foe: the injury bug.

As measured by dollars spent on injured players, only four teams were hit harder by injuries than the Yankees this season. Some of the biggest setbacks came at the worst times, such as Carpenter's broken foot in August and further blows to Benintendi (broken hamate), Montas (shoulder discomfort) and Holmes (shoulder strain) in September.

Nevertheless, the notion that a team as resource-rich as the Yankees shouldn't be rendered so vulnerable even by that many injuries has merit.

It was frankly shocking to see the lineups that manager Aaron Boone had to resort to in the playoffs. Even with Bader's unexpected turn as a slugger, there just wasn't a whole lot on either side of the club's core trio of Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Anthony Rizzo.

The effect was generally one of helplessness. The Yankees offense bowed out of the postseason after collectively hitting .173 with a 32.4 strikeout percentage.

The pitching staff fared better to the tune of a 3.28 ERA, but that obscures the sense of dread that hung over the mound whenever Cole wasn't on it. The thinness of the bullpen was an ever-present specter, and Cortes' final departure via an injury timeout was all too predictable in context of how far past his previous high for innings he had already climbed.

Perhaps it would be more appropriate to say that the Yankees ran out of able bodies, but it works well enough to say that they just plain ran out of gas. And for this, it's more than fair to ask why there wasn't more in the tank.

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Where the Yankees Must Go From Here

It's just a matter of time before the knives are out for Boone and general manager Brian Cashman.

Indeed, it was a small miracle when the Yankees retained Boone as their skipper after the Boston Red Sox bounced them from the AL Wild Card Game last October. And while the club's slow-moving collapse of 2022 is hardly all on him, it's frankly difficult to determine what, exactly, he brings to his leadership role.

As for Cashman, he perhaps doesn't get enough credit for an operation that's not only produced Judge and made stars of guys like Cortes and Holmes but also currently has one of the better farm systems in the league.

And yet, various failures and gaffes can also be traced back to Cashman.

The March trade of Gary Sánchez and Gio Urshela for Josh Donaldson and Isiah Kiner-Falefa came to resemble an outright disaster as both of the latter routinely hindered the Yankees in the playoffs. And while he did enjoy a rebound year in 2022, it's still worth asking where the version of Gleyber Torres who hit 62 home runs in 2018 and 2019 has gone.

So if this is the winter that the Yankees want to part ways with Boone and finally remove Cashman from a post that he's occupied since 1998, then fine. Go for it. Heck, it's about time for some new blood.

However, it's also hard to imagine any of it mattering without an attitude adjustment on the part of Chairman and Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner.

Far from a chip off the 'ol block, the son of the late George Steinbrenner is more measured in just about everything he does. His priorities are simply different from those of his father, who once famously stated that the importance of winning ranks below only that of breathing.

"That's my job every year, to make sure that we're financially responsible," Hal Steinbrenner told reporters earlier this year in response to queries about the team's payroll. "I've got a lot of partners and banks and bondholders and things like that that I answer to. But at the same time, it's always the goal to win a championship."

This philosophy need not hold the Yankees back in theory, but there's at least one area where it clearly is in reality. Whereas they had the highest Opening Day payrolls in the league annually between 2000 and 2013, they've occupied the No. 1 spot just once since 2014.

The Yankees are the most valuable franchise in baseball, so Hal Steinbrenner's stingy spending seems more a matter of preference than necessity. Regardless, it's inevitably led to a pattern of corner-cutting that's occasionally all too evident. Like, for example, when they spent all of $35.4 million on last year's free-agent market.

This needs to change, and it needs to change yesterday.

That it must start with an appropriately sized—something in the $300-400 million range ought to do it—contract for Judge in free agency goes without saying. From there, a proper co-ace for Cole, at least one ace reliever and upgrades for the left side of the infield must also be on the shopping list.

Especially with a whole bunch of money set to come off the team's 2022 books, such an extravagant offseason shouldn't be too much to ask of Steinbrenner. And lest he need a little extra motivation, he need only look to Queens at the New York Mets to see evidence of how quickly a sudden and massive uptick in spending can transform a team.

The alternative is for Steinbrenner to stay the course and hope that one of two things happens first: either more of the same improbably leads to the World Series glory that's recently been so elusive, or MLB starts handing out trophies for financial responsibility.

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Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.

Coming off a historic season that will likely lead to his first American League MVP award, Aaron Judge is poised to hit free agency with seemingly as much leverage as any player has had in years.

The New York Yankees slugger posted the ninth season in Major League Baseball history with at least 60 home runs. He became the first player to hit the mark since Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa in 2001.

Judge hit his AL-record 62nd homer on Oct. 4 to leadoff the game against the Texas Rangers.

SIXTY-TWO! BASEBALL HISTORY! @TheJudge44 is the American League home run King! pic.twitter.com/QKrcuOvZMU

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 5, 2022

In addition to his massive home run total, Judge almost became the first player since Miguel Cabrera in 2012 to win the triple crown. The four-time All-Star led the AL in RBI (131), on-base percentage (.425) and slugging percentage (.686). He finished second in batting average (.311), five points behind Minnesota Twins star Luis Arraez (.316).

His 11.5 FanGraphs' wins above replacement was the highest single-season total in MLB since Barry Bonds in 2004 (11.9).

Putting all of these numbers together suggests the 30-year-old could be in line for a historic contract, but there are reasons to believe the deal he actually gets come in a bit lower than anticipated.

Here's a look at the potential contract Judge could get this offseason, as well as teams that could be interested in signing him.

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Projected Contract

Thanks to Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, we know the absolute baseline that Judge's camp will be negotiating from.

After the slugger and the Yankees were unable to reach agreement on a long-term extension before the start of the regular season, Cashman took the unusual step of going public with specifics of the team's offer to their superstar player.

The New York GM told reporters on April 8 that Judge rejected a seven-year, $213.5 million deal that would have been combined with a $17 million salary in 2022 for a total value of $230.5 million over eight years.

Judge came out ahead on his 2022 salary by settling with the Yankees for $19 million in June to avoid arbitration.

In an early free-agency preview on Sept. 14, ESPN's Jeff Passan emphatically said the Linden, California native "will get $300 million-plus" this offseason.

While the odds certainly favor Judge getting a deal of at least $300 million, let's briefly examine the reasons why teams might not be comfortable going that high on an offer.

First, the odds of him being able to replicate his 2022 season again are low. As mentioned, he had the most valuable season by fWAR in 18 years. He had a better individual season than any year Mike Trout, Mookie Betts or Shohei Ohtani have had by this one metric.

Judge doesn't necessarily have to do what he did in 2022 to be worth a massive contract. His average season from 2017-21 was .280/.391/.563 with 31 homers and a 154 OPS+.

Durability is also a consideration for any team interested in Judge. He missed a total of 142 regular-season games from 2018-20. The past two seasons have helped dispel the notion Judge is injury-prone, as he's played 305 out of a possible 324 games.

But if you want to project ahead, Judge is going turn 31 on April 26, 2023. He's a higher level of athlete than a lot of corner-outfield sluggers in MLB, but there's going to come a point when his bat speed slows down and his already-high strikeout rate will get worse.

Judge would be, by far, the oldest current player to sign a $300 million contract if that's what he ends up getting this offseason. Gerrit Cole was entering his age-29 season when he signed a nine-year, $324 million deal with the Yankees in December 2019.

A seven-year deal worth exactly $300 million would give Judge the second-highest average annual salary in MLB ($42.9 million), behind Max Scherzer at $43.3 million.

The best option for a team to present him would be a deal with a massive average annual value for fewer years than he might be expecting. An offer in the range of $225 million over five years would only tie him with Joey Votto for the 14th-largest contract in terms of total value, but the $45 million average annual salary would be the highest in MLB.

If Judge wants to get the most total value, it will probably take something in the range of seven years and $300 million to make it happen.

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Potential Suitors

New York Yankees

No team needs Judge more than the Yankees. He's a homegrown superstar who has become the most beloved player the franchise has had since Derek Jeter retired after the 2014 season.

When the Yankees were in the midst of their second-half malaise this season, Judge was the single biggest reason they stayed afloat. He was phenomenal after the All-Star break with a .349/.502/.785 slash line and 29 homers in 68 games.

One thing that could work in the Yankees' favor is the market. He is the biggest star in the sport because he plays in New York for the most historic franchise in MLB.

For as valuable as Judge is as a player, his marketability dramatically decreases if he goes almost anywhere else. This isn't to suggest he's going to give them any sort of hometown discount, but it does give them some leverage that other clubs don't have.

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Boston Red Sox

Judge has shown himself to be a brilliant tactician throughout 2022. He didn't give in on what he wanted from a new deal and turned in one of the best seasons in MLB history heading into free agency.

As a businessman, he knew exactly what he was doing when he gave a non-answer to a reporter about potentially playing for the Boston Red Sox at some point in his career.

"Ooh," Judge said on Sept. 14 during a series between the Yankees and Red Sox at Fenway. “We’ll talk about that at the end of the year.”

Judge also spoke about Red Sox fans in the same press conference:

"It’s the best, they’re some of the best in baseball. They’re going to boo you, they’re going to say some things, they’re going to make you laugh. It’s all part of it. A lot of great history here, and this is one of the best places to play, so it’s always fun going out there and trying to put on a show for them."

Even if the Red Sox don't believe they have a chance to sign Judge, they should try to make an offer that drives his price up for New York. The Yankees would be in an impossible situation of trying to navigate a public-relations storm of potentially losing their best player coming off a historic season to their biggest rival.

The Red Sox could be poised to make a big splash this offseason. They will have nearly $60 million coming off their books, with J.D. Martinez, Nathan Eovaldi, Michael Wacha and Rich Hill set to become free agents.

Xander Bogaerts could become a free agent if he rejects a $20 million player option. The team should also attempt to lock up Rafael Devers, who has one more year of arbitration remaining before he can become a free agent after 2023.

Boston has so many roster holes that spending $35-40 million on one player wouldn't dramatically change its outlook for next season. But it would be entertaining to see the Yankees and Red Sox fighting over a player as they did after the 2003 season, leading to Alex Rodriguez ending up in the Bronx.

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San Francisco Giants

If there is a true contender outside of the Bronx to sign Judge, it's the San Francisco Giants.

Per ESPN's Kiley McDaniel, three MLB insiders predicted the Giants would land Judge in free agency.

One obvious connection stems from Judge's proximity to San Francisco. He was born near San Francisco in Sacramento and went to college in the state of California (Stanford).

Beyond that connection, which probably won't matter, the Giants could be poised to be one of the biggest players in free agency this offseason. They had a disappointing season with an 81-81 record after leading MLB with 107 wins in 2021.

Per Spotrac, the Giants only have $103 million in guaranteed money on their books in 2023. Carlos Rodon's $22.5 million player option is the biggest internal decision the front office will have to keep an eye on.

San Francisco has a glaring need for a bat in right field. The team only got a .205/.285/.378 slash line with 23 homers from the position in 2022. There doesn't seem to be much hope on the horizon in the minors.

MLB.com ranked San Francisco's farm system No. 18 in a midseason update published in August. The team only has two top-100 prospects—shortstop Marco Luciano (No. 17) and left-handed pitcher Kyle Harrison (No. 22).

Playing in a division with the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have a massive payroll and one of the best development pipelines in MLB, leaves the other four teams with such a small margin of error.

The San Diego Padres haven't been shy about spending money and trading for established superstars in an attempt to keep pace with the Dodgers. The Arizona Diamondbacks look to be on the rise with a top-five farm system and Zac Gallen having a breakout season in the rotation.

As things currently stand, the Giants look to be no better than the third-best team in the NL West. Adding Judge wouldn't solve all of their roster issues, but he would give them a big bat in the middle of the lineup that was sorely missing this season.

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St. Louis Cardinals

If you're looking for a potential sleeper in the Judge sweepstakes, the St. Louis Cardinals immediately stand out.

Lars Nootbaar did have a solid second season, showing good patience (.340 on-base percentage, 14.7 percent walk rate) and solid power (14 homers, .448 slugging percentage) as the primary right fielder.

The Cardinals could roll with the 25-year-old as their starter at the position and not look back, but they are looking at a payroll that could clear $90 million this offseason before factoring in arbitration salaries.

That number is assuming Nolan Arenado exercises his player option that will pay him $144 million over the next five years. Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported the seven-time All-Star is expected to opt in to his deal.

St. Louis has operated with a payroll of at least $150 million in every full season since 2018. General manager Michael Girsch should have no problem being able to sign a major free agent if that's something the team is interested in pursuing.

Arenado, assuming he opts in, and Paul Goldschmidt are the only major long-term commitments the Cardinals currently have on the books. Goldschmidt can become a free agent after 2024.

There's no one else in the NL Central who looks anywhere close to competing next season. The Milwaukee Brewers have two elite starters leading their rotation, but the bullpen wasn't the same after Josh Hader was traded to the San Diego Padres.

The Chicago Cubs could be a sleeping giant if ownership allows the front office to start spending like the big-market team franchise they should be. The Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates are still years away in their rebuilding efforts.

Everything is already set up for the Cardinals to own the NL Central for a long time. Adding another elite hitter like Judge to a group that already includes Arenado and Goldschmidt would allow them to close the talent gap on the very top-tier NL teams (Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets and Atlanta Braves).

New York Yankees pitcher Nestor Cortes Jr. exited Game 4 of the American League Championship Series in the third inning with an apparent injury, per MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.

The Yankees later announced that Cortes was dealing with a groin ailment, per ESPN's Joon Lee.

Cortes gave up a three-run game-tying home run to Astros rookie Jeremy Peña before being pulled by manager Aaron Boone. He was replaced by Wandy Peralta out of the bullpen.

It was clear Cortes was struggling before being removed. Boone and the team's athletic trainer came out to the mound to check on him, but he appeared to insist he was fine before giving up the home run to Peña.

According to MLB Network's Jon Morosi, Cortes' four-seam fastball velocity dropped to 88 mph in the third inning, down from 92 mph in the first inning.

The removal of Cortes was a tough blow for the Yankees, who entered Sunday's game on the brink of elimination and needed a solid outing from one of their top starters to help force a Game 5 in Houston on Monday.

Cortes pitched two games in the American League Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians, allowing three runs on nine hits and striking out five in 10 innings.

The 27-year-old put together the best regular season of his career this year, going 12-4 in 28 starts. He posted a 2.44 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 163 strikeouts across 158.1 innings.

Cortes has three more years of arbitration eligibility before becoming an unrestricted free agent. He figures to be a key member of the Yankees' rotation for at least a few more seasons, regardless of the outcome of this series.

The New York Yankees are on the brink of elimination from the American League Championship Series, down three games to the Houston Astros, and it appears the team is trying to draw some inspiration from its rival—the Boston Red Sox.

Yankees mental skills coach Chad Bohling showed the team highlight videos of the 2004 Red Sox—who came back from an 0-3 deficit against the Yankees in the ALCS to reach the World Series—and Eduardo Pérez video-chatted BoSox legend David Ortiz in Aaron Boone's office on Sunday, per MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.

The 2004 Red Sox remain the only team in Major League Baseball history to come back from down three games to win a series. Ortiz was named the 2004 ALCS MVP after contributing walk-off hits in Game 4 and Game 5 of the series and finishing with three home runs and 11 RBI.

Boston went on to sweep the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series and capture its first title since 1918.

If the Yankees are going to become just the second team in history to overcome a three-game deficit, they're going to have to dig deep against a Houston team that has been dominant through the first three games of the series.

The Pinstripes have been outdueled both on the mound and at the plate, and Lance McCullers Jr. is looking to deliver the final blow to New York's World Series hopes in Sunday's Game 4.

McCullers last pitched against the Seattle Mariners on Oct. 15 in the American League Division Series, allowing just two hits and posting seven strikeouts in six innings.

Nestor Cortés is set to get the start on the mound for the Yankees. He started two games in the ALDS against the Cleveland Guardians, allowing three runs on nine hits and striking out five in 10 innings.

A big factor in whether or not the Yankees will force a Game 5 will be if its anemic offense can come to life in the Bronx on Sunday night. Through the first three games of the ALCS, the team has combined for just 12 hits in 94 total at-bats (.128 batting average).

Aaron Judge has been particularly poor at the dish against Houston after a monster regular season that saw him break the AL home run record. He has just one hit in 12 at-bats. Giancarlo Stanton and Harrison Bader lead the team with three hits each.

If the Yankees are swept out of the postseason, the franchise will be left with some pretty significant questions to answer this winter, one of them being what went wrong for a roster that includes a number of baseball's top stars.

The New York Yankees had a golden opportunity for a reset on Saturday. Back home at Yankee Stadium for Game 3 of the American League Championship Series with their best pitcher on the mound? What could possibly go wrong?

Only everything.

The Houston Astros are now firmly in the driver's seat—not to mention on the doorstep of the World Series—with a 3-0 lead in the ALCS after their 5-0 win in Game 3. They permitted the Yankees just three hits while putting up crooked numbers in two separate innings, starting with Chas McCormick's Yankee Stadium Special of a two-run home run in the second.

Chas off the top of the wall! #Postseason pic.twitter.com/XvRNJR4V28

— MLB (@MLB) October 22, 2022

The Yankees were able to get multiple runners on base only twice all game, and only one of those instances was a true threat. By the time Matt Carpenter and Harrison Bader recorded back-to-back singles with two outs in the ninth, it was already too late.

In the end, the Yankees were shut out at home for only the 16th time in their postseason history—and only for the fourth time on three or fewer hits.

The Yankees know as well as anyone just how much trouble they're in being down 3-0. They were, after all, on the losing end of the only 3-0 comeback in Major League Baseball history in 2004. Otherwise, every one of the other 39 attempts has failed.

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The Yankees' Painfully Specific Brand of Non-Competitive Baseball

There's no blaming Gerrit Cole for the Yankees' predicament.

As Jameson Taillon and Luis Severino had done in Games 1 and 2, Cole provided the Yankees with a solid start. In five innings, the $324 million ace allowed three runs on five hits and two walks with seven strikeouts. He had a darn good slider going throughout.

Gerrit Cole, Wicked Sliders. 🤢

On a mission... pic.twitter.com/w3h7HwuC0E

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) October 22, 2022

Cole was let down, in part, by his defense, specifically on a play in the second inning where Harrison Bader dropped a fly ball after nearly colliding with Aaron Judge. McCormick's home run came just three pitches later.

There is, of course, that other reason the Yankees lost Game 3. And it's the same one that explains why they're on the verge of getting swept by the same team that needed seven and six games, respectively, to beat them in the ALCS in 2017 and 2019.

They're. Just. Not. Hitting.

Following Saturday's three-hit dud, the Yankees are now batting a collective .128 in the series and .161 for the playoffs as a whole. The latter is the worst ever for a team that played at least eight games in a single postseason.

It hasn't helped that Judge has gone ice-cold in the batter's box, otherwise known as the same place from where he hit an AL-record 62 home runs during the regular season. Albeit with a pair of home runs, he's just 5-for-32 with 14 strikeouts since the postseason began.

Hence the boo birds being out for Judge once again on Saturday:

Judge goes down swinging and, for the second time this postseason, hears some boos from the Yankee Stadium crowd

— Erik Boland (@eboland11) October 22, 2022

Yet the Yankees need not search far and wide for evidence that it is possible to win in the playoffs even as one star hitter goes cold. The Astros are a perfect 6-0 even though Jose Altuve, who beat out Judge for the AL MVP in 2017, is just 1-for-28.

Whether it's Giancarlo Stanton (5-for-28), Gleyber Torres (4-for-30), Josh Donaldson (5-for-25) or Matt Carpenter (1-for-11), Judge simply hasn't gotten as much help from his supporting cast as Altuve has from his.

To boot, everyone has the same problem right now: the strikeout. The Yankees have struck out in 33.6 percent of their plate appearances, which is also an all-time worst among clubs that played eight least eight games in a given postseason.

"We've got to find a way right now" is a phrase that Yankees manager Aaron Boone used multiple times in his postgame press conference. With that, there is no arguing.

Because if they don't, a season that was once on track to be one of the greatest in the Yankees' history is going to finally end in one of their greatest embarrassments.

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It Seems the Astros Are Simply Better Than the Yankees

Before the Astros and Yankees renewed their rivalry for the first time in 2022, this is where they stood back on June 23:

• Yankees: 51-18
• Astros: 43-25, 7.5 GB

Even though the Yankees actually took that first meeting, here's how things unfolded the rest of the way:

• Astros: 63-31
• Yankees: 48-45, 14.5 GB

As highlighted by the 5-1 record that they posted in the two clubs' last six head-to-head meetings, the Astros have thus been a substantially better team than the Yankees for a while. And precisely how they've been better has never been more obvious than it is right now.

Put simply, they're just better at keeping runs off the board.

Whereas the Astros scored 11 fewer runs than the Yankees after June 23, they also allowed 74 fewer runs. That was a group effort, as not a single one of the 16 hurlers who pitched at least 20 innings for Houston down the stretch posted a negative WAR.

Saturday's game was perhaps the ultimate testament to the depth of Houston's pitching. With Justin Verlander and Framber Valdez having pitched in the first two games and Lance McCullers Jr. needing an extra day to deal from a fluke elbow injury, the Astros turned to their No. 4 starter in Cristian Javier. They also didn't use their best reliever in closer Ryan Pressly.

And yet, they still twirled a three-hit shutout. And a dominant one at that, as they racked up 11 strikeouts and permitted only five batted balls that traveled so far as 200 feet.

Following a likewise impressive display of pitching against the Seattle Mariners in the Division Series, the Astros now have a 1.57 ERA for the postseason. With the minimum set at six games, that's the best any team has done since the wild-card era in 1995.

The only fly in the ointment that's thus far produced Houston's perfect postseason record is that the club's offense has yet to truly break out. An output of 25 runs in six games isn't exactly record-book material.

Save for Altuve, though, none of the Astros regulars can be described as "cold."

Just about everyone has pitched in something, whether we're talking about Yordan Álvarez, Alex Bregman, Yuli Gurriel, and Jeremy Peña each boasting multiple home runs or Christian Vázquez finally getting a start in Game 3 and coming through with a huge two-run single.

Now Vázquez gets it done with the bat! #postseason pic.twitter.com/aRKu85y9ma

— MLB (@MLB) October 22, 2022

This is how the Astros have been a buzzsaw even as they've been firing on less than all cylinders. And with one more win, they'll have buzzed their way to the World Series for the fourth time in the last six years.

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What's Next for the Astros and Yankees

Game 4 of the ALCS is set for Sunday, with McCullers on the hill for the Astros opposite Nestor Cortes for the Yankees. First pitch is scheduled for 7:07 p.m. ET.

McCullers was excellent in Game 3 of the ALDS, holding the Mariners scoreless on two hits and two walks in six innings. Cortes allowed just three runs over 10 innings in the two starts he made against the Cleveland Guardians in the ALDS, the second of which came on short rest in the decisive fifth game of the series.

If the Yankees win, Game 5 will be on Monday. If the Astros win, the series is over.

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Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.

The New York Yankees are on the brink of elimination from the 2022 postseason following Saturday's 5-0 loss to the Houston Astros in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium, and Aaron Judge knows he needs to be better if the team wants to extend its season.

"I've got to step up and do my job," Judge told reporters following Saturday's loss.

Judge went 0-for-4 in Saturday's Game 3, though it should be noted the Yankees managed just three hits in total—one each from Giancarlo Stanton, Harrison Bader and Matt Carpenter.

However, Judge has been particularly quiet in this series against the Astros. He went 0-for-4 in Game 1 on Wednesday and 1-for-4 in Game 2 on Thursday. He has no RBI or home runs through the first three games.

It's been a continuation of a somewhat down postseason for Judge. In the American League Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians he went 4-for-20 with two home runs and three RBI with 11 strikeouts.

Judge had been New York's best player in the regular season, hitting .311 with 62 home runs and 131 RBI in 157 games. It was his best season in the Bronx, a season in which he broke Roger Maris' American League home run record.

If the Yankees are going to extend their season, it's going to take a full team effort. Judge, Stanton and the remainder of the team's lineup need to have their best game of the season on Sunday night.

If they falter, the team could look very different next season as New York has been aiming to win its first World Series since 2009. One of the most significant changes could be the potential departure of Judge.

The 30-year-old is set to become an unrestricted free agent this winter after rejecting a seven-year, $213.5 million offer from the Yankees before the 2022 season began. He's expected to become one of the highest-paid players in baseball.

While the Yankees have reiterated that they will make him a competitive offer, there's still a possibility he doesn't return to the Bronx in 2023.

The New York Yankees will have to make history to save their 2022 season after a 5-0 loss to the Houston Astros in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series.

New York has dropped the first three games to the Astros, having been outscored 12-4 thus far. Saturday was supposed to be the Bronx Bombers' chance to get back in the series with Gerrit Cole making his first start as the series shifted to Yankee Stadium.

Things got off to a rocky start when Harrison Bader's missed catch on a Christian Vazquez fly ball into center field with two outs kept the second inning going. Chas McCormick's opposite-field homer on the third pitch he saw from Cole gave Houston a 2-0 lead.

Chas off the top of the wall! #Postseason pic.twitter.com/XvRNJR4V28

— MLB (@MLB) October 22, 2022

That turned out to be plenty of run support for Cristian Javier and the Astros bullpen. Javier allowed just one hit in 5.1 shutout innings.

The Astros blew things wide open with three runs in the top of the sixth inning.

Starting pitching has been the biggest difference in the series thus far. Houston's top three starters—Javier, Justin Verlander and Framber Valdez—have combined to allow three runs (one earned) with 25 strikeouts and eight hits allowed over 18.1 innings.

Aaron Judge and the Yankees offense has struggled to get going all postseason. Even in their ALDS victory over the Cleveland Guardians, they hit a collective .182/.273/.370 with 53 strikeouts in 154 at-bats.

As you would expect from a prolonged stretch of poor play, fans and analysts had a lot to say about the Yankees needing to win four straight games to reach the World Series.

Aaron Judge strikes out again, fans boo. "How can that even be possible?" Ron Darling.

Truly don't know what to say. The team is coming up woefully short, and Judge is the lead culprit. Why is it incomprehensible some drunks booed him?

— Yanks Go Yard (@YanksGoYardFS) October 22, 2022

Aaron Judge getting booed, hooo boy. Lemme turn on NXT lol

— Kazeem Famuyide 🇳🇬 🍎 (@Kazeem) October 22, 2022

Inept would be a kind way to characterize the Yankees' offense in the ALCS. Current numbers through 6th inning of Game 3:

- BA: .120 (10 for 83)
- OBP: .198
- SLG: .229
- Runs: 4
- Strikeouts: 36
- Walks: 7
- Total bases: 18 (same number Jeremy Peña and Chas McCormick combined)

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) October 22, 2022

Giancarlo Stanton has three hits this series. Harrison Bader has two. Four other Yankees have one. That's it.

— Stephanie Apstein (@stephapstein) October 22, 2022

https://twitter.com/lindseyadler/status/1583960913580740609

Yankees have to make a big splash this offseason offensively. This is really bad baseball and infuriating to watch

— JL (@JLas43_) October 22, 2022

The Yankees peaked in the first half of the season. They’ve been bad for the last 2 1/2 months.

— 🐶WOOF CLITZER🐶 (@ESPNFrankie) October 22, 2022

https://twitter.com/MissKatefabe/status/1583972186078908417

A postseason full of poor managerial decisions but most importantly the worst hitting performance from a lineup! I can't get my head around how bad they've been. There is literally no explanation! 😞 #yankees #ALCS2022

— kyp coudounas (@kyp24) October 23, 2022

A Bronx bummer 😐

Lots of sad faces at Yankee Stadium tonight. pic.twitter.com/0TEUxiVXvU

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 23, 2022

This season really has been a tale of two halves for the Yankees. They were on pace for 113 wins at the All-Star break when the offense had a .776 OPS and averaged 5.4 runs per game. The pitching staff had a 3.08 ERA and averaged 9.02 strikeouts per nine innings.

In 70 games after the break, the Yankees were a .500 team (35-35) averaging just 4.4 runs per contest with a 3.60 ERA.

The Yankees were able to overcome their issues in the ALDS against a Guardians team that didn't have much power or depth in the lineup. Houston has been the best team in the AL all year, and it's showed throughout this postseason.

The Astros have won each of their first six playoff games. If they can run that streak to seven, they will be in the World Series for the fourth time since 2017.

Lance McCullers Jr. will make his second start of the postseason for the Astros on Sunday. Nestor Cortes will take the mound for the Yankees.

Game 4 of the ALCS will be played at 7:07 p.m. ET from Yankee Stadium.

The New York Yankees have not had a captain since Derek Jeter in 2014, but if Aaron Judge re-signs, he could take over as captain in the Bronx.

Yankees pitcher Nestor Cortes said Saturday that if Judge returns in 2023, he should undoubtedly serve as the team's captain, per MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.

"Most of the guys in there agree with me," Cortes said.

Nestor Cortes thinks Aaron Judge will be the Yankees' next captain if he comes back next year:

"We follow everything he does. He leads by example... he's a great baseball player but he's a better human." pic.twitter.com/9OfFbLR6BB

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) October 22, 2022

There have been 11 captains in Yankees history—Jeter (2003-2014), Clark Griffith (1903-1905), Kid Elberfeld (1906-1907), Willie Keeler (1908-1909), Hal Chase (1910-1912), Frank Chance (1913), Roger Peckinpaugh (1914-1921), Babe Ruth (1922), Everett Scott (1922-1925), Lou Gehrig (1935-1939), Thurman Munson (1976-1979), Graig Nettles (1982-1984), Willie Randolph (1986-1988), Ron Guidry (1986-1988) and Don Mattingly (1991-1995).

Judge, who will become an unrestricted free agent this winter, was asked about possibly becoming captain during an appearance on R2C2 with CC Sabathia and Ryan Ruocco in February.

“It would be an incredible honor,” Judge said (h/t Gary Phillips of Sports Illustrated). “I can’t even fathom that to be honest.”

Judge added:

“It would be an incredible honor, but nothing honestly would ever change. I’d still try to hold myself the same way, try to hold myself to the highest standard and be accountable and be there for my teammates. If there is a captain named or no captain named, I’m still going to go out there and just be Aaron Judge and try to be the best leader and teammate I can be every day.”

After an impeccable 2022 campaign that saw him become the American League's all-time single-season home run leader with 62, breaking former Yankee Roger Maris' record of 61, Judge is in line to receive a significant pay raise this winter.

He declined a seven-year, $213.5 million extension offer from the Pinstripes earlier this year. Yankees president Randy Levine said last month that the team would make him a competitive offer once the season is over.

"We know his worth and what he means," Levine said on The Show podcast (h/t ESPN). "I don't know what's in his mind. All we can do is show him how much we'd like him to remain a Yankee."

Judge has spent his entire seven-year career with the Yankees and is coming off a 2022 season that saw him slash .311/.425/.686 and knock in 131 RBI in 157 games.

Considering the 30-year-old has been a leader both on and off the field, it would be no surprise to see him named the next captain of one of Major League Baseball's most historic franchises.