Everyone was in disbelief. Except for Aaron Judge, of course.

It was October 9 and the Yankees’ postseason journey was in danger of stalling. Two days earlier, the Kansas City Royals had stolen ALDS Game 2 in the Bronx to even the series. A Royals victory in Game 3 would push the Yankees to the brink of another early fall exit, another winter of woe.

So when Judge was fouled out on a check swing to end the seventh inning of a tied game, a geyser of frustration erupted from the visiting dugout. The Yankee’s arms flew to the sky in exasperation. Captain Aaron Boone shook his head in disgust and let loose an f-bomb. Outfielder Alex Verdugo went cobra with dedication. Pitching coach Matt Blake, watching the game on an iPad, commented, “That’s so damn bad.”

It was the kind of moment that has left many a baseball club in emotional disarray. Smaller mistakes have brought down bigger empires. But as the Yankees faltered, Judge was, as always, a pillar of calm. The aggrieved batter, face unchanged, stoically loosened his shin guard and left the batter’s box and the at-bat behind him.

Panic can be contagious, but so can serenity.

An inning later, Yankees DH Giancarlo Stanton smashed one over the left-field wall to put New York ahead for good – in the game and the series. Ten days later, the Yankees outlasted the Cleveland Guardians in five games of the ALCS to reach the World Series for the first time since 2009.

“(That strikeout) shows his uncanny ability to get to the next pitch or the next moment. He does that better than anyone in the game,” Yankees coach James Rowson told Yahoo Sports. “What happens on the other side is that he makes other guys think, and he calms down other guys, which has an effect on the club. … In those moments you might lose a little bit of focus, but his ability to calm it down calms the group down, and now you can get back on track faster.

Stanton didn’t deliver that game-changing homer in Game 3 simply because Judge didn’t pout after his strikeout. Baseball, like life, is never neat. But that scene in Kansas City is a perfect demonstration of how the Yankees captain’s undying fortitude in the face of immense chaos has allowed this edition of the sport’s most scrutinized franchise to stay focused on the long game.

It is, next to generational change, Judge’s second superpower.

“At the beginning of the year, when he hit a buck-fifty four weeks later, you didn’t know it,” Yankees infielder Jon Berti said. “Same guy every day, positive, great leader. Fast forward a month later, he hit .400 and, you know, heading into the year he had, he was the same guy. To see one of the best players in the world, our leader, do that, it shows what kind of person he is.”

No player has hit more home runs than Judge in his first 1,000 MLB games. His full list of accomplishments is deafening: 315 big flies, six All-Star Games and, after the end of this postseason, a second AL MVP award. It will be well deserved, considering Judge just posted the greatest offensive season since Barry Bonds, slashing .322/.458/.701 with 58 home runs and 144 RBI. He is, alongside World Series foe Shohei Ohtani, the face of the sport.

But for this Yankees team, Judge’s impact extends far beyond the white lines. He is the voice of reason, a towering beacon of consistency, the most beloved figure in the clubhouse and someone who unwaveringly believes in the inevitability of success.

“He leads by example, and we look up to him for what he can do,” Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe said of Judge during a recent media conference. “You see how hard he works and how he treats everyone, it just takes it to another level of something to strive for.”

When recently asked if he could recall an example in which Judge showed obvious frustration with the diamond, Yankees utility man Oswaldo Cabrera frowned and paused for a moment. “I’ve never seen it,” he said. “He never hits with his bat or helmet.”

“He’s a professional, man. That’s why he’s the cap, dude,” outfielder Alex Verdugo said. “He goes about his business the right way.”

When asked where his fortitude comes from, Judge told Yahoo Sports during a recent conversation that it is both learned and innate.

“I’ve always tried to be disciplined, but you kind of grow into it,” Judge said. “When I got to the big leagues, I saw a guy like Mark Teixeira. Man, I could look at the clock and I knew exactly where he was going to be. At 5:02 he was going to get ready in the weight room. At 5:15 p.m. he was eating. At 5:30 he started stretching. I just saw that consistency. If he has a great career, I would love to have a career like this.”

Judge lives a blessed, but unrelenting life. There is always someone who wants something from him: time, advice, an autograph, a selfie. He combats the chaos with simplicity and uses a force field of clichés to block out the sound. It’s a Jeterian approach, which can make Judge seem boring; rarely is a quote from him classified as interesting. It’s a targeted tactic that makes the Yankees captain a highly respected figure within his own inner circle.

That, honestly, is what interests him most. That and winning a title.

And with the World Series kicking off Friday, the Yankees are four wins away from accomplishing something once thought impossible: capturing a championship with an underperforming panel. All season long, the big man carried the big franchise on his broad shoulders, guiding his team through lulls and valleys with huge swing after huge swing. But in October, Judge has struggled while teammates like Juan Soto, Gleyber Torres and ALCS MVP Giancarlo Stanton have been in charge.

In nine postseason games, the Yankees center fielder went 5-for-31 with just two home runs and a .704 OPS. That’s far from terrible, but also far from standard. Judge is striking out at a higher clip, a product of more pursuits outside the zone. As with any postseason statline, it’s all a small sample size, which can change in an instant. A player this good is always one stroke away from greatness.

That the Yankees reached the World Series with a mediocre jury is a testament to the depth of the roster. But it also shows how Judge’s influence extends far beyond his in-box production. Clearly, a handful of home runs from the man who has cracked 58 this year would be helpful in beating the Dodgers. But Judge couldn’t care less about his final battle line as he ends the series covered in champagne and confetti. He could go 0-for-the World Series and still be the first player to lift the trophy.

As the generational slugger competes in the first Fall Classic of his career, the ultimate goal has never been closer – and the void on his ring finger has never been more striking. He knew this when he re-signed with the Yankees in December 2022, accepting the captaincy in addition to his landmark contract. He wanted this burden; he chose the pressure cooker. He knows that the impact of every player, and especially every Yankee, is determined by what is accomplished once the leaves change color. Without Championship No. 28, Judge’s legacy will forever be incomplete.

Until that happens, don’t expect him to change anything.