The Yankees' Aaron Judge found himself in the midst of an epic failure Klapish

NEW YORK – NEW YORK – It's going to be a long, brutal winter for the Yankees, who are coming to terms with a devastating collapse in Game 5 of the World Series.

It would be too kind to say that the Dodgers somehow rallied from a 5-0 deficit to win 7-6.

No, the Yankees' season is over because of a historic choke.

They had a chance to bring the series back to LA for Game 6, and at that point anything was possible.

Instead, the Yankees self-destructed in the fifth inning, giving the Dodgers five runs. The Bombers didn't know it at the time, but that was the death knell.

And it was Aaron Judge who opened the door to the rally for the Dodgers.

With no one out and a runner on first, Judge misplayed Tommy Edman's sinking line drive. Somehow, No. 99 allowed the ball to fall out of his glove.

How? Why? Judge had a good jump, took the right route and did everything else right except for the catch.

The ball trickled a few feet away when a stunned Judge retrieved it and shot it toward second base. Too late. The Dodgers rally was officially underway, making it the worst inning in Yankees World Series history.

When it was over, the Dodgers had scored five unearned runs, a flaw that will be remembered as long as Aaron Boone is manager and Judge wears the pinstripes.

This is the series that got away. Do that given away. This is how the Yankees will be remembered in 2024.

And judges? He had a disappointing streak (4-for-18, .222), even with two hits and a home run in Game 5. In a Sluggers showdown, Judge was well outclassed by Freddie Freeman.

That will remain.

In fact, Judge's legacy has always been complicated. He is by far the most popular Yankees, loved for his character and admired for the way he treats children.

There's honestly one who doesn't switch off when the TV cameras pack up and leave. That's one of the main reasons why Judge gets the loudest ovation when the Yankees are introduced.

The fans like him, period.

But they still wonder why Judge can't score in the postseason. It wasn't just this World Series, it takes place every October.

This uppercut becomes more pronounced, the discipline to hit the opponent's field becomes weaker, the strike zone becomes wider.

Judge took the field Wednesday night with a career .197 postseason average. His numbers in that World Series were equally concerning: 2 for 15 (.133) with seven strikeouts and no home runs.

A senior club official I spoke with before Game 5 admitted he had “no idea” why Judge seemed so helpless at times.

But he countered with a prediction.

“Aaron is going to make it big,” the official said. “Just watch.”

He was right – sort of.

Judge finally hit his first home run of the series in the first inning. The mechanics finally fell into place as Judge Jack Flaherty's fastball in the outside corner patiently guided over the right field wall.

All it took was a single strike with Juan Soto on first and the Yankees were off to a good start.

They had a 2-0 lead, the stadium was in chaos and Flaherty was already falling apart.

The right-hander, in whom the Dodgers had the utmost confidence, served Jazz Chisholm a meatball. He also turned things around – a solo home run that extended the Yankees' lead.

With a three-run lead, Cole had the breathing room to turn into a fastball machine. He accelerated the four-seater to 99 miles per hour. The Yankees were in a commanding position to force a Game 6 on Friday night in LA.

Meanwhile, Judge put on a show. After that home run, he arguably made his best catch as a center fielder. With a runner on first and no one out, Freeman smashed a line drive to left-center.

The 6-7 referee was a tangle of legs. During a full sprint, he transformed into an NFL tight end. Judge didn't just run into the wall, he punished it by catching the ball at the same moment.

The judge fell heavily to the ground and was momentarily shaken. But he kept the ball and possibly saved a run. One inning later, things would get even tougher for Judge and the Yankees, but for a frozen moment that now seems meaningless, Judge went from man to man.

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Bob Klapisch can be reached at [email protected].