Judge: 'I definitely gotta step up'

With his team now down 2-0 in the World Series, New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge knows he needs to get his bat going in order to get his team back in the series.

"I definitely gotta step up and do my job," Judge said, according to YES Network. "Guys around me are doing their job, getting on base, and I'm failing backing them up."

Judge's slow start to his first World Series continued Saturday, as he went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in New York's 4-2 loss. His third K of the night came in the ninth inning after Juan Soto singled to start a rally that ultimately fell short.

The 32-year-old Judge is now 1-for-9 in the series with six strikeouts, continuing his ongoing playoff slump. He's hitting .150/.280/.325 with two homers and six RBIs through 40 at-bats this postseason and has struck out 85 times in 248 career plate appearances in the playoffs.

"Expanding the zone, that's really what it comes down to," he said when asked why he's struggling.

Manager Aaron Boone didn't directly answer whether he thinks Judge is pressing, although he believes that swing decisions may be part of the issue.

"It's just about getting in a good position," Boone said, according to ASAP Sports. "When you get into that good - and everyone's different in how they do it - you get in that strong position, that load where then the swing decisions follow that.

"So I think he's kind of working through that. Once that happens, it happens like that."

Judge, who hit a league-leading 58 home runs during the regular season, understands how much is riding on his bat. He's hoping a different plan of attack might help him once the series shifts to the Bronx on Monday.

"It's really locking in on your zone. At times, I think it's trying to make things happen instead of letting the game come to you. I think that's what it really comes down to," Judge said. "You see Gleyber (Torres) out there on base, Juan getting on base doing things, you want to try and make something happen.

"But If you're not going to get a pitch in the zone, you gotta take your walks and set it up for (Giancarlo Stanton). Plain and simple, I gotta start swinging at strikes."