After years of postseason snub, American fans took their bet on Aaron Judge in the WBC. Similar to the Yankees, he captained Team USA to the final, but eventually couldn’t get past Venezuela. So, the popular narrative that Judge disappears when the lights are brightest remains true for now. However, the fans didn’t let their frustrations go unnoticed when Judge visited the Yankees’ home complex in Tampa a few days ago. Judge got outrightly booed over the WBC letdown, but his response was as classy as ever.

“My expectations are already high,” Aaron Judge said via Kevin Durant’s Boardroom podcast. “So you guys are booing me or getting on me? I’m booing myself too.”

Rather than calling out the fans, the Yankees captain is taking the blame on himself. Except for the pool-play game against Italy, Team USA was convincing in their performances until the final. And as Venezuela was a first-time WBC finalist, bets were high on Aaron Judge’s squad to take the title. But what followed is something the Yankees fans have been seeing for the last few years.

He was visibly struggling in the WBC final, finishing off with 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. What’s more horrible was how Judge grounded out to third base in the 6th inning with the tying run on base. So, he knows that fans have enough reasons to boo him, and, typical of Aaron Judge, he accepts his shortcomings with grace.

Being the captain of the Yankees, Judge knows winning isn’t just expectations but a norm here. So, he steers through high expectations, and he even uses it as motivation in the game. But, according to many, when the clutch moments come, he fades away!

With the new season about to kick in, Yankees legend CC Sabathia thinks Aaron Judge is what A-Rod was in the 2000s. “For me, I think the most accurate comp is A-Rod,” Sabathia said. “Judge and A-Rod having so much success in the pinstripes, people perceive them not to be the clutch players that everybody wants them to be in October.”

Similar to Judge, A-Rod was once known for fading out in the postseason. He scored a meager .142 from Game 5 in 2004 against the Red Sox through the end of the 2007 postseason. But his 6 HRs at .365 won the Yankees a World Series in 2009 and put to rest the narrative around him.

Aaron Judge is facing the same situation currently. Between 2017 and 2024, Judge had a .198 average and 15 HRs from 57 postseason games. He did rebound last year, scoring at a .500, but the World Series remained a dream.

A WBC win could have changed the narrative, but it instead amplified the criticisms. And Aaron Judge acknowledges the noise. Now, what one of MLB’s best hitters needs is a World Series title.

Support for Aaron Judge is yet to die

While the calls against Aaron Judge for missing the clutch moments are increasing, he remains one of the finest batters out of the Yankees camp. And yes, when you are from the Bronx, limelight and criticisms go hand-in-hand.

“Derek Jeter has five World Series championships, and he’s called overrated,” Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay said. “Aaron Judge has no World Series championships, and he’s called overrated. The haters are out there in full force. That’s just the way of the world right now.”

Jeter was one of the most successful players from New York with 5 rings under his name. Yet, American sports commentator Keith Olbermann famously trolled Jeter during his 2014 farewell tour, labeling him “overrated.” He argued that Jeter was more driven by media hype over numbers. On the other hand, Aaron Judge was also called “overrated” after the 2025 postseason snub.

“Judge is the most overrated Yankee in franchise history,” one fan said about Judge after 2025. So, Kay wonders if there’s any yardstick to evaluate who should be called overrated.

Aaron Judge still finished 2025 as the #1 batter in average. He is one of the best hitters in MLB with 368 career HRs. And last year, he hinted at breaking the postseason narrative. Let’s see if Aaron Judge could be the next A-Rod this year.