After nine months and a streak of 66 consecutive starts, New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge took his first day off of the 2025 season on Thursday during the final game of the series against the Kansas City Royals. The timing was notable, as his last day off in 2024 also occurred in Kansas City during the Yankees’ 68th game of that year. This deliberate rest comes after Judge’s run of offensive dominance, giving rise to speculation about the reasons behind the decision.
It turns out the day off had been planned ahead by Yankees manager Aaron Boone but came with a twist. Judge had made a bet with Boone: if he hit a home run in each of the first two games against Kansas City, Boone would reconsider whether to grant him the day off or not. Judge delivered exactly as promised, smashing two home runs to start the series, which left Boone with little choice but to stick to his original plan.
“Aaron Judge asked Aaron Boone if he’d reconsider giving him a day off if he homered in the first two games vs. Kansas City, per @M_Marakovits. pic.twitter.com/YReClZEtZo” —YES Network
From Boone’s perspective, the break was strategically sound. The Yankees faced an intense schedule of 16 games in 16 days, culminating with a trip to Boston and back-to-back night games against the Red Sox on the weekend. Resting their best player before such a demanding stretch was a clear priority to preserve Judge’s endurance for the long haul.
“I never want him out of the lineup, but I feel like one of those that hopefully pays some dividends in the long run of keeping him fresh,” Boone explained at Kauffman Stadium. “Today (Thursday) seemed like the day that made some sense.”
Judge certainly earned the pause, having batted an impressive .394 with a 1.269 OPS across 66 games in 2025, including 25 home runs and 59 runs batted in (RBIs). His consistency was remarkable, reaching base in 62 of those games and making multiple bases in a league-high 51 contests, a feat that places him among the elite players of the modern era.
Judge Aligns With Baseball Legends Before His Rest Day
Leading into his first rest day of the season, Judge’s numbers established him as a dominant force. He held the highest batting average in Major League Baseball at .394, alongside a .490 on-base percentage and an impressive .779 slugging percentage. With 98 hits and a 1.269 OPS, his pace resembled that of some of the greatest Yankees hitters in history.
In addition to his overall production, Judge homered in three consecutive games and maintained a 54-game road on-base streak. This remarkable run places him tied for the fourth-longest such streak by a Yankee, joining baseball icons Babe Ruth (62 games), Lou Gehrig (60 games), and Derek Jeter (60 and 54 games).
Yankees pitcher Clarke Schmidt shared his amazement at Judge’s performance, saying,
“I think it’s getting out of hand at this point.”
Schmidt acknowledged Judge’s consistent excellence at the plate, noting,
“Every time he goes up there, he’s ready to do damage. Obviously, the average is what it is. If it’s not a home run, it’s probably a hit.”
On the Wednesday game against the Royals, Judge again reached base multiple times, continuing his streak of critical contributions at the plate.
Judge’s Potential to Surpass New York Yankees Legends
With these performances, Aaron Judge is on pace to challenge the historical benchmarks set by Yankees greats like Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. His offensive numbers and durability suggest he could carve out a legacy that ranks alongside those legendary figures in baseball history. This consistent production, especially during such a demanding stretch of the season, makes a third Most Valuable Player (MVP) award a plausible achievement in the near future.
Judge’s ability to sustain such high levels of performance, combined with the strategic management decisions by Boone to rest him at the right moments, indicates the Yankees are positioning him for a successful and healthy season run. His rest day in Kansas City may be viewed as a turning point that helps keep him fresh during one of the most challenging portions of the MLB calendar.
As the team moves into a grueling 16-game stretch with crucial matchups ahead, this balance between rest and performance will be critical to the Yankees’ chances in a competitive league. For fans and analysts alike, Judge’s evolving career will continue to be a focal point in the 2025 season’s unfolding story.