Aaron Judge’s Dominance Against Fastballs Is Fueling His Next-Level Season
In June, at Fenway Park in Boston, Yankees slugger Aaron Judge stepped in against Red Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet in the ninth inning. Crochet had already struck Judge out three times that night and was two outs away from a rare 1–0 complete‑game win. The crowd at Fenway Park watched as another fastball clocked at 99.6 mph left Crochet’s hand. But this time, it exploded off Judge’s bat, soaring 443 feet into the night.
No hitter in nearly two decades of pitch‑tracking had ever driven a pitch that hard and that fast so far. That swing etched Judge’s name next to a rare statistical benchmark and left analysts searching for new ways to measure his power. His at‑bat opens the door to a larger story about a season built on fastball dominance.
In this article, we look at how Judge’s precision against high‑velocity pitches is shaping his numbers, lifting his team, and placing him among some of the most feared hitters in baseball history
A Sharper Approach
Image via Unsplash/Jose Francisco Morales
Aaron Judge once had a reputation as a pure power hitter with a strikeout problem. When he debuted, he swung through too many fastballs and struggled to adjust to the league’s relentless mix of pitches. That narrative no longer applies. His strikeout rate has improved slightly from earlier seasons, now hovering around the league average.
His chase rate is among the best in the game, which forces pitchers to work the corners or risk watching another baseball sail into the bleachers. His gameplay gives you the sense that he studies every detail of what comes at him, then acts on it with precision.
Pitchers used to challenge him, but now they hesitate. Numbers from the first half of this season show why. Against fastballs in the strike zone, Judge is batting .466. No one else in the majors is close, with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. next on the list at .383. His slugging percentage against fastballs is a jaw-dropping .961, which is 21.54 percent higher than Ronald Acuña Jr. in second place.
Those figures come from hundreds of at-bats and a refined approach built over the years. Pitchers, including those on the Tampa Bay Rays, have been throwing Judge far fewer fastballs. Only about 24 percent of the pitches he sees from them are heaters, because they know how dangerous he is against that pitch.
It’s All Paying Off
Image via Wikipedia/ Keith Allison
Judge was named captain in 2023 and has become a presence beyond his stats. Teammates mention how he steadies the clubhouse during slumps and pushes for better at-bats during practice. Those leadership qualities are feeding into his own game.
His stance has shifted slightly closer to give him a better look at pitches breaking away. In previous seasons, down-and-away breaking balls were a weakness. This year, he is hitting .324 and slugging .559 in that quadrant. Some of the longest home runs this year belong to him, including that blast against Garrett Crochet that silenced Fenway Park.
Making History
Image via Unsplash/Jakob Rosen
Aaron Judge is 33, an age when most hitters begin to slow down. But it’s not yet midseason, and he has already passed 25 home runs and leads the Yankees in runs batted in. His OPS ranks among the league’s highest, currently above 1.100, and his overall slugging percentage hovers around .719, numbers that put him in MVP conversations again.
If he continues on this pace, he could finish with over 50 home runs and challenge records held by some of the most feared hitters in baseball history. His ability to lead the league in hits and home runs in the same season would place him in rare company with names like Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle.
The Yankees are in the mix for another deep playoff run, and Judge’s consistency gives them an anchor. Manager Aaron Boone has adjusted the lineup to keep him in spots that maximize his chances to drive in runs. Left-handed hitters often surround him, and pitchers are forced to pick between difficult matchups.
Cody Bellinger’s resurgence has played into this plan, and it’s showing on the scoreboard. A healthy Judge changes how teams pitch to everyone in that lineup.