3 time AL MVP and perennial strikeout contender Aaron Judge went through the entire 2025 season without wearing the Golden Sombrero.

In 2026 it took him 4 at bats. Strikeouts are for everyone!

Somewhere out there King Donkey is eating chili cheese fries and smiling.

Last week in Ks: an occasional series
March 30, 2026

One of the great and tragic ironies of baseball last season was watching the Washington Gnats, of all teams, embracing the importance of the strikeout position. The Gnats are the franchise that cruelly misused King Donkey in his last major league season, constantly burying his talents deep in the lineup and subjecting him to the tremendously unfair "platoon," in which he was only allowed to strike out against right handed pitching.

The Gnats appear to have turned over a new leaf last year with wunderkind James "Not James Woods, James Woods is a White Boy" Wood. By the antiquated "traditional" approach, having a guy who is 6 foot 6 and struck out 221 times last year lead off would seem like an odd choice. And the outdated "sabermetric" analysts would view Wood's .077/.143/.308 (OPS+ 27) start as "concerning".

Amazingly, the Gnats seem to have realized what really matters: strikeouts. By showing his teammates where the ball isn't, Wood allows them to determine where the ball is, so they can hit it. It is magnificent in its simplicity.

Wood has hit leadoff in every game and struck out 7 times in 13 at bats (whiff percentage .538). The Gnats, gnaturally, are off to a 2-1 start.

Sombero Watch (March 25-29)
Aaron Judge, NYY (3-25, vs. SF)
James Wood, WAS (3-26, vs. CHC)
Kyle Manzardo, CLE (3-27,, vs. SEA)
Cal Raleigh, SEA (3-27, vs. CLE)
Nolan Arenado, ARI (3-27, vs. LAD)
Kyle Schwarber, PHI (3-28, vs. TEX)
Trevor Story, BOS (3-28, vs. CIN)
TJ Friedl, CIN (3-28, vs. BOS)
Josh Lowe, LAA (3-29, vs. HOU)

Strikeout leaders (individual)
1. Cal Raleigh, C, SEA (*): 10
1. Kyle Manzardo, 1B, CLE: 10
3. Josh Lowe, RF, LAA (*): 9
4. Jorge Soler, RF, LAA: 8
4. Bo Bichette, SS, NYM: 8
4. Brent Rooker, RF, Zombie Athletics: 8

*The Seattle Mariners and California Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have played one more game than other teams, helping to explain why the Angels have two guys playing the same position in the top 5 in strikeouts.

Strikeout leaders (team)
1. Oakland Las Vegas Zombie Athletics of Sacramento: 50
2. Cleveland Indians Guardians: 47
3. California Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: 46