Reggie Jackson foresees October glory for Aaron Judge

Reggie Jackson knows a thing or two about the special nature of postseason baseball, and after being around Aaron Judge this year, the man known as Mr. October believes he has a sense of what may be ahead for the Yankees’ rookie slugger.

(Hint: It’s good news for the team wearing pinstripes.)

“He’s been walking around pretty happy,” said Jackson, who tends to hang out with the Yankees come playoff time. “And when you go into the clubhouse and see your big man smiling — be it a Brady, Kobe, Jordan, a Peyton Manning, you feel like you’re already in the lead.”

Reggie is never one to shy away from hyperbole, so comparing Judge to modern-day legends — all of them champions — is not all that shocking. But it speaks to the tremendous impact Judge made this season, when he leapfrogged Mark McGwire for the rookie home-run record (52) and his power exploits were mentioned constantly in the same breath with those of Ruth, Mantle, Maris and A-Rod.

It’s also worth noting that Judge finished strong, and his 15 home runs in September are the most in a calendar month by a Yankee since Maris hit 15 in June 1961. Babe Ruth is the only other Yankee to have both 15 home runs and 25 walks during that same time frame, as Judge did. But for all of those remarkable numbers — we haven’t even delved into his StatCast resume — Judge was preoccupied by other digits on the eve of his playoff debut.

“With the regular season, it’s kind of like spring training is over,” Judge said. “This is what it’s all about. This is where a lot of those numbers hanging out there in leftfield, this is where they made a name for themselves, in the postseason.”

Judge was talking about the Yankees’ retired numbers, which are displayed on a large mural set in back of the leftfield bleachers. Judge knows the landmark well, because he’s nearly hit that distant wall twice with home runs, despite its being more than 500 feet from home plate. But to him, the numbers mean a lot more than target practice, and Tuesday night is only the start of what Judge hopes will be his own journey toward World Series glory.

Even with all of Judge’s accomplishments, it’s not automatic. Nothing is guaranteed. Based on everything we’ve seen, the expectation is Judge will continue to mash in October, because there’s no reason to think otherwise. The only piece missing here is how he’ll perform on the national stage, with the pressure of a do-or-die game.

In a season of firsts, this is another, and what can be used as similar comp? A September series at Fenway Park? And from an attention standpoint, possibly the worldwide audience for the Home Run Derby? Judge deftly has handled every new experience, showing a maturity well beyond his 25 years, and we we have no reason to doubt him in this spot, either.

After a historic first half, Judge did something even more impressive by pulling himself out of a post-break nosedive, a 46-game nightmare in which he batted .176 with only seven home runs and struck out once every three plate appearances. He recovered to hit .314 (27-for-86) over the final 26 games with 15 homers, 31 RBIs and a 1.377 OPS — putting him back on track to potentially become the first player to win Rookie of the Year and MVP since Ichiro in 2001.

Judge usually grins uncomfortably when asked about such topics. He’s more eager to talk about the team’s broader goals, and that’s what makes himself well suited for the playoffs, where he can narrow his focus for the next month. Or in Tuesday’s case, just nine innings, fighting to avoid elimination.

“We had a great September,” Judge said. “If we keep doing that, trying to win every pitch, keep having championship at-bats, things will go our way.”

Judge should have a big say in that. And Jackson recognizes a prime-time player when he sees one.

“In October, you glow,” Jackson said. “Some guys are just wired that way.”

For Judge, the bright lights come Tuesday night in the Bronx. The evidence suggests he’ll be more than ready.

By David Lennon

dave.lennon@newsday.comDPLennon

David Lennon is an award-winning columnist, a voter for baseball's Hall of Fame and has covered six no-hitters, including two perfect games.