Aaron Judge is already aNew York Yankees legend. The slugger, a two-time American League MVP, just a few days ago became the fastest player to reach 350 home runs in MLB history and is currently in Atlanta to play in his seventh All-Star Game as the fan-voted player
In the festivities held at Truist Park, the home of the Braves, Judge made some headlines in his meeting with the media on Tuesday. In addition to acknowledging that he would like to face Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers again in the World Series, the outfielder dared to choose his three favorite former teammates from the Bronx Bombers
His selections did not leave anyone indifferent, especially because he opted for three figures who have not been in the team for quite some time and left out of his ranking players who recently wore the pinstripes of the Yankees
First of all, he chose an old acquaintance of the New York fans, Brett Gardner, who could be said to have served as the team’s shadow captain after Derek Jeter’s retirement in 2014. The outfielder was a lifelong Yankee, with 14 seasons in the Big Apple, including the triumphant 2009 run when they won the World Series against the Phillies
“Judge said, “We were together for a long time, side by side,” clearly referring to the fact that Gardner defended center field while he was taking his first steps in right field. In general, both coincided in the 2016 to 2021 roster, when the veteran left-handed hitter hung up his spikes at 37 years old
Judge’s second selection was that of an immortal, a pitcher that perhaps the younger generation may not even remember worked with the Yankees. We are talking about left-hander CC Sabathia, who arrived in New York in 2009 and remained there for a decade. In that span, in addition to winning a World Series ring, he achieved 134 wins and a 3.81 ERA in 306 starts.
“Sabathia was a leader, a mentor to all of us,” Judge said, who played three seasons with the stellar pitcher, Cy Young of the 2007 season and elected to the Hall of Fame
Finally, the current Yankees captain opted for a role player like Tyler Wade, who is not remembered as a star of the franchise, although he was always recognized for his ability to play several positions and contribute in whatever role was necessary.
“He was always smiling, whether he was playing or not. He was full of energy, he loved being a Yankee”
“I miss him, he’s in San Diego doing his thing,” Judge said of Wade, who played 264 games with the Bombers from 2017 to 2021. “He was always smiling, whether he was playing or not. He brought a lot of energy, he loved being a Yankee.”
No news about Juan Soto
As might be expected, there were many expectations to see if Aaron Judge remembered Juan Soto in his selections, but the Yankees captain did not hesitate for a second and was very categorical with his answers. About the Dominican, now with the Mets, there was not the slightest allusion, despite all the time they spent together in 2024 and despite the fact that, according to Judge, they have a good connection
“The friendship that Juan and I have is the most important thing to me,” said the Yankees star some time ago, for whom, apparently, other factors weighed more heavily when it came to choosing his favorite former teammates.
Last season, Judge and Soto formed a terrifying duo, with 99 home runs, 253 RBIs, 171 extra-base hits and a combined OPS over 1.000. It was expected that the Dominican outfielder would choose to stay with the Bombers and form a diabolical tandem with Judge, but he signed with the Mets for an astronomical 15-year, $765 million contract
“I tried to do my part, but overall I let him make his decision. A couple of words from me are not going to influence an important decision about what you think is best for you and your family,” Judge said after learning of Soto’s signing by the other New York team
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