In a franchise as legendary as the New York Yankees, where historic figures have shone and 27 World Series trophies have been lifted, standing out is no easy task. However, Aaron Judge continues to make it clear that he is made of different stuff, leading the team with performances that bring him ever closer to the Olympus of the Bronx immortals.
Judge is not only putting together another colossal season, but he just received a distinction that puts him in a privileged group. As the American League’s leading vote-getter for the 2025 All-Star Game, he earned an automatic invitation to the midseason classic, marking a new milestone in his already impressive career.
A place among the greats of the Bronx
This will be the sixth time Judge has been selected as a starter in an All-Star Game, tying Bill Dickey for sixth all-time among the Yankees. What seemed reserved for legends of other eras, Judge is reaching with impressive ease. Only Mickey Mantle (11), Yogi Berra (10), Joe DiMaggio and Derek Jeter (9), and Dave Winfield (7) are ahead of him. All of them are eternal emblems of the team.
At 33 years of age and at the level he is at, thinking about catching Mantle in number of starts does not seem like an unrealistic dream. If his body holds up and he maintains his performance, he could well become the Yankee with the most All-Star Game starts. That kind of consistency is exactly what distinguishes icons.
A near-perfect season
Judge is starring in another campaign that positions him as a strong candidate for the MVP award, which he already won in 2022 and 2024. With an astonishing batting average of .361/.461/.719, he leads the American League, in addition to recording 28 home runs and 63 RBIs at this stage of the calendar. These numbers again profile him to surpass 50 home runs and 120 RBIs.
While Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh emerges as his main contender for MVP this year, Judge’s overall impact on and off the field makes him difficult to match. His presence not only produces statistics; it also raises the competitive standard of the team. And with the Yankees in the thick of the fight at 46-34, Judge’s figure is once again the driving force behind their aspirations.
If there is one area where the team captain still has unfinished business, it is in the collective record. After leading the Yankees to the World Series in 2024, their first appearance since the 2009 title, and losing to the Dodgers, the goal is clear: to lift the trophy. A championship ring, or maybe two, would be the finishing touch to consolidate his legendary status in a franchise that will settle for nothing less.
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