Aaron Judge downplays Freddie Freeman's walk-off grand slam, but ignores Yankees biggest problem

Amid all the fireworks from Game 1 of the World Series — Giancarlo Stanton continuing to do Giancarlo Stanton things (complimentary), Aaron Boone continuing to do Aaron Boone things (derogatory), Shohei Ohtani delivering in his first taste of the Fall Classic, Freddie Freeman's heroic grand slam to lift the Los Angeles Dodgers past the New York Yankees in an instant classic — one important fact is at risk of getting overlooked: Once again, Aaron Judge failed to make an impact in a postseason game when his team desperately needed him.

Judge went 1-for-5 with three strikeouts in Game 1, including a pop-out with the go-ahead run in scoring position in the top of the ninth inning. (After Dodgers manager Dave Roberts opted to intentionally walk Juan Soto, no less.) That drops the soon-to-be AL MVP's line this postseason to a measly .167/.304/.361, with three extra-base hits and a whopping 16 strikeouts. Stanton, Soto and Gleyber Torres are holding up their end of the bargain during this playoff run; it's Judge who's the weak link, and he's running out of time to turn things around.

Not that you'd know it by listening to Judge after the game, though.

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It's time to hit the panic button about Aaron Judge's postseason struggles

The Yankees captain was his typically stoic self when speaking with reporters. "A loss is a loss," Judge said. "Gotta learn from it, move on and get ready for the next game tomorrow."

This unflappability — the ability to turn the page and move on, never getting too high or too low — has for the most part served Judge well over his time in New York. It makes him uniquely suited to survive the pressures of superstardom in the Bronx, the weight of which has crushed some of his predecessors. But there comes a time where a little bit of urgency is required, and Judge's answers here elide his own culpability in the team's loss.

Sure, Boone is going to bear the brunt of the blame for how Game 1 played out, and he deserves it; if he goes with Tim Hill to pitch to Ohtani and Freeman, who knows, maybe New York escapes with a win. But New York was just 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position, leaving a whopping 11 men on base. Boone's bullpen management isn't the only story here, and Judge right now is giving opponents a crucial safe landing spot amid the minefield that is the top of the Yankees lineup. That, as much as anything, is killing this team, and you'd like to hear a bit more from Judge acknowledging that and vowing to change it. He's still plenty capable of turning around and catching fire, but time is running out, and now is not the moment to be so even keel.