It’s no secret that Aaron Judge is the most potent offensive force in the league, but it’s also no secret that all eyes are on him this off-season. Coming off of a record breaking season with 62 home runs and a .311 batting average, he is as valuable now as he has ever been.
Although he is known for his offensive prowess, his defensive abilities shouldn’t be undervalued in the slightest. With his staggering 6’7″ build, some of the plays he pulls off in the outfield shouldn’t be possible. As well as weighing in at 282 lbs, most would think he wouldn’t move very well, but that simply isn’t the case for him.
Golden Defense in the Outfield
Over the course of his career, he has compiled above-average seasons defensively almost every year. Since his rookie season, he has accumulated 61 defensive runs saved and has proved time and time again that he is more than just a dangerous hitter.
There are some sluggers that are stellar at the plate but come up short in their defensive game, however, Judge checks all the boxes in both categories. Not only is he well-versed in tracking the ball coming off the bat, but he can also run well.
He managed to muster up 16 stolen bases throughout the course of the 2022 season as he began to trust his legs a little bit more this year.
The Centerpiece of the Offense
Quite possibly the most dominant force in the Major Leagues with a bat in his hand, Judge takes charge of the Yankee offense day in and day out. Since his rookie season in 2017, he has since put himself in the spotlight as someone the Yankees can expect consistency from. And not just average consistency, but truly incredible types of consistency.
If there is one man that opposing pitchers fear the most in the Yankees lineup, Aaron Judge most likely headlines that list. As advanced sabermetrics and deeper statistics have crept into the game of baseball over the last few decades, some have looked at how valuable being “clutch” is.
While there may not be a specific stat that tells us how well someone performs in the clutch, there is no doubt that some players are better under pressure.
In 2022, he put on display what some consider to be one of the great offensive seasons ever composed by a right-handed hitter. Not only could he perform in normal scenarios, but also in ones that mattered more than others. In this year alone, he walked the Yankees off three times and had even more clutch hits late in the game that pushed them ahead.
He just truly exhibited why he is widely known as an unstoppable force at the top of the Yankees lineup all season long.
What Losing Him Could Mean
If the Yankees owner, Hal Steinbrenner decided to not open up the checkbook and pay the potential 2022 MVP, they would lose quite possibly the most important part of their organization. Not only would it force them into a difficult position where they would need to find a new starting center fielder, but also have to deal with many fans turning their back on the Yankees entirely.
Judge is one of the most influential people in the organization, and losing his presence on the starting roster would be a huge blow to everyone. People come out to the stadium to watch him play, especially after coming off of the biggest season of his career.
Not to mention losing the qualities he brings to the team every game. The Yankees would have to come up with quite the answer to remedy the loss of his offensive capacity.
As one would have to imagine, it would be a major loss for both the fan base and the team itself. As long as Judge wants to come back to New York, it would be worthwhile to pay him basically whatever he wants. The Yankees front office has deep enough pockets to uphold any price that Judge could come up with, so it would be a great disappointment if they somehow let him walk.
The New Captain
Judge has proven time and time again that he is the most powerful player in New York, and also shown to be a team leader as well. He puts others before himself, and he is very articulate in his own craft as well. He is the true embodiment of what it means to be the “Captain”. Ever since legendary shortstop, Derek Jeter, retired in 2014, the Yankees have been without a Captain.
This is where Aaron Judge could step in and take that role for the rest of his career. He has nothing left to prove, Judge is becoming a legend in his own right. The role has quite the history of Yankee legends donning the title, the “Captain”, and it is one where Aaron Judge belongs.
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Statistics provided by baseball-reference.com
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