Yankees Claim Series Lead – Is Judge on the Verge of a Breakthrough?

The New York Yankees have taken the lead against the Kansas City Royals in the American League Division Series, despite the hosts continuing to keep Aaron Judge, the feared Yankees batsman, in check. Giancarlo Stanton, who already secured the victory in Game 3 on Wednesday with his impressive power and support from the Yankees bullpen, expects Judge to find his form soon—perhaps as early as Game 4 on Thursday in Kansas City. The Yankees are on the verge of advancing to the American League Championship Series but need another win in the best-of-five series. Despite his impressive 58 home runs in the regular season, Aaron Judge has contributed little in the series so far. With a batting average of 1-for-11 in the current series, his performance falls short of expectations, but he remains optimistic due to strong training sessions. Glimmers of hope were evident as Judge hit the hardest ball of the day in Game 3—a 114.4 mph liner that unfortunately landed in the hands of the opposing shortstop. Even in other game segments, Judge made impactful plays but failed to bring in runs with runners on base. The Yankees are hoping Judge will soon hit his stride. For today's game, Kansas City is once again sending Michael Wacha to the mound, while Gerrit Cole will pitch for the Yankees. Wacha has often kept Judge in check in the past but has an overall mixed record against the Yankees. Stanton's key hit in Game 3 highlights his increasing fitness, which makes the Yankees optimistic about the rest of the series. A positive note for New York is the relief provided by a strong bullpen that has delivered flawless performances in the series so far. The Yankees are aware that they must avoid repeating the mistakes of failing to capitalize on numerous baserunners from previous games, while Kansas City needs to continue working on its control issues on the mound. An exciting fourth game is ahead, with the Yankees firmly positioned but not yet at their goal.