Guardians Not Pounding Their Chests Over Success Vs. Aaron Judge Just Yet

Yankees star Aaron Judge is off to a slow start in the ALDS after a historic regular season. But the Guardians know he's still dangerous.

The Guardians have kept Aaron Judge at bay through the first two games of the American League Division Series, but Cleveland is not rushing to declare the Yankees slugger vanquished.

Judge, an American League Most Valuable Player favorite, is coming off a historic regular season in which he hit 62 home runs, breaking the A.L. and Yankees' single-season records. In addition, he slashed .311/.425/.686 with 131 RBI, 16 stolen bases, a 211 OPS+ and a 10.6 bWAR.

But with the ALDS tied at one game apiece, Judge is 0-for-8 in the series. He's struck out seven times, including a golden sombrero in New York's 4-2, 10-inning, Friday loss at Yankee Stadium.

"I don't mean to be rude, but if I did, I'm not sure I'd really want to share it. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense," Guardians manager Terry Francona said after Game 2 when asked if Cleveland had a particular plan for Judge. "I think sometimes you know, hitters can't hit a button, and good as guys are, sometimes guys take 0-fors. Until you get through a series successfully, I don't think anybody is going to stand up here and pound our chest. He's too dangerous. We know that."

Judge has only reached base once over the first two games of the series. He walked in Game 1, which then led to a stolen base and a run scored.

On Friday, he heard boos following his fourth strikeout of the day. 

"It's the Bronx, man," Yankees skipper Aaron Boone succinctly said when asked if he was surprised Judge was jeered.

Judge, meanwhile, understood that the reaction comes with the territory, and didn't have an issue with it.

"It's happened many a times through my career here, and there's nothing I can do," he said. "I gotta play better. That's what it comes down to."