The Yankees Strategy: Using Cody Bellinger To Protect Aaron Judge

Omar Yusuf

4 min read

Post on May 12, 2025

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The Importance of Protecting Aaron Judge

Protecting a power hitter like Aaron Judge is paramount to a team's offensive success. By strategically placing other strong hitters before him in the batting order, the Yankees aim to reduce the pressure and intensity Judge faces. This multifaceted approach offers several key advantages:

• Reduces the frequency of high-pressure, high-velocity pitches: Pitchers are less likely to throw their best pitches directly at Judge when a dangerous hitter is on base ahead of him. This reduces the risk of injury and allows Judge to see more hittable pitches.
• Allows Judge more opportunities for quality at-bats: With runners on base, pitchers may be more inclined to pitch carefully to Judge, leading to more favorable counts and increased opportunities for powerful hitting.
• Minimizes facing dominating pitchers repeatedly: A strong hitter batting before Judge can disrupt a pitcher's rhythm and potentially force a pitching change before Judge steps up to the plate.
• Creates more opportunities for RBIs from Judge: With runners on base due to the production of the hitters batting in front of him, Judge's powerful hits translate directly into RBIs, significantly impacting the team's scoring potential.

Cody Bellinger's Role as a Run Producer

Cody Bellinger's inclusion in the Yankees' lineup is crucial to this protective strategy. His past performance demonstrates a capability to drive in runs, setting the stage for Judge's powerful hitting. His potential contributions are significant:

• High on-base percentage (OBP) and slugging percentage (SLG): Bellinger's career numbers suggest a potential for both getting on base and hitting for power, crucial for creating scoring opportunities. A high OBP means more runners are on base for Judge.
• Ability to hit for both average and power: This versatility makes Bellinger a difficult hitter to pitch around, forcing pitchers to be more cautious and increasing the chances of runners reaching base ahead of Judge.
• Potential to draw walks: Drawing walks increases the likelihood of runners on base, improving Judge's RBI opportunities.
• Hitting to all fields: Bellinger's ability to hit to all fields keeps defenses honest, further maximizing the chance of putting runners on base for Judge.

Strategic Batting Order Placement and its Impact

The strategic placement of Cody Bellinger directly before Aaron Judge in the batting order significantly impacts the opposing team's pitching strategy.

• Pitchers pitching around Bellinger to avoid facing Judge: A potent Bellinger forces pitchers to carefully consider their pitch selection, potentially walking him to avoid facing Judge with runners on base.
• Ripple effect on the rest of the Yankees lineup: The threat of Bellinger and Judge forces the opposing team to adjust their overall strategy, potentially weakening their approach against the rest of the Yankees' lineup.
• Increased offensive output and run production: This strategic placement has the potential to significantly boost the Yankees' overall offensive production, creating more scoring opportunities across the entire batting order.
• Flexibility based on opponent pitching matchups: The Yankees can adjust the batting order depending on the opposing team's pitching strengths and weaknesses, maximizing the effectiveness of the "Bellinger protects Judge" strategy.

Potential Challenges and Counterarguments

While this strategy holds significant promise, it's not without potential challenges:

• Bellinger's injury history: His past injuries could impact his consistency, disrupting the effectiveness of the strategy.
• Alternative hitters: Other players could potentially fill this protection role, depending on their performance and overall lineup balance.
• Ineffective scenarios: The strategy's effectiveness relies on Bellinger consistently getting on base or driving in runs. If he struggles, the protective effect is reduced.
• Comparison with other strategies: The Yankees' approach needs to be evaluated against other successful batting order strategies employed by contending teams.

Conclusion

The Yankees' strategic deployment of Cody Bellinger to protect Aaron Judge represents a calculated gamble with potentially high rewards. By leveraging Bellinger's ability to get on base and drive in runs, the Yankees aim to create more advantageous situations for their star slugger, significantly boosting overall offensive output and improving team performance. While challenges exist, the potential benefits of this "Cody Bellinger protects Aaron Judge" strategy are substantial and warrant close observation throughout the 2023 season. Continue following the Yankees and analyze the effectiveness of this approach to see if it truly maximizes the team's offensive potential!