Yankees Confident Judge Will Break Out of Early Slump

Slugger off to slow start, but team expects his usual power to return soon

Apr. 2, 2026 at 1:35pm by Ben Kaplan

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Despite a slow start to the 2026 season, the New York Yankees remain confident that star outfielder Aaron Judge will soon break out of his early-season slump. Judge is batting just .125 with 3 hits and 11 strikeouts in the team's first 6 games, but the Yankees have seen this before from their three-time MVP and aren't concerned.

Why it matters

Judge is the centerpiece of the Yankees' lineup and a key driver of their offensive production. His early struggles, if prolonged, could impact the team's performance in the early going, but the Yankees have a history of patience with their star player and expect him to turn things around quickly.

The details

Through the first 6 games, Judge is 3-for-24 with no home runs and just 1 RBI. He's struck out 11 times and been caught stealing once. However, the Yankees have seen this before from their star player, who has historically started slowly before heating up. In 2017, Judge batted .211 with 1 homer in his first 6 games before finishing the year with a rookie-record 52 home runs. Two years ago, he was batting .197 through the first month of the season before nearly winning the Triple Crown.

  • The Yankees are off on Thursday, then host the Marlins in their home opener on Friday.
  • Judge was 3-for-24 after 6 games in 2026, the same as his start to the 2017 season.

The players

Aaron Judge

The Yankees' star outfielder and three-time American League MVP.

Paul Goldschmidt

The 38-year-old Mariners first baseman who hit a two-run homer against the Yankees.

Aaron Boone

The Yankees' manager, who expressed confidence that Judge will soon break out of his early-season slump.

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What they’re saying

“When he shows up! Yeah, I saw him walk in today, so that could be the sign!”

— Aaron Boone, Yankees Manager

“It's just early in the season. It's a small stretch. Even for him, when it's not clicking at a level we're accustomed to seeing with him all the time, he's still had a major impact in two wins offensively coupled with all the other things he brings to the table on defense and in the dugout.”

— Aaron Boone, Yankees Manager

“With Judgy, it's always a matter of time before he gets dialed in from a timing standpoint, and off we go.”

— Aaron Boone, Yankees Manager

What’s next

The Yankees will look for Judge to break out of his slump when they host the Marlins in their home opener on Friday.

The takeaway

The Yankees have seen this slow start from Judge before, and they remain confident that their star player will soon return to his usual MVP-caliber production. His early struggles are not a cause for concern, as the team knows it's only a matter of time before Judge's power and hitting ability take over.