When many think of baseball with its history and lore they think of the New York Yankees, baseball’s most historic franchise that has won 22 World Series Championships.  With that success comes some of the game’s best players including some of sports all-time greatest players. Some of these players include Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Lou Gehrig, Yogi Berra, Alex Rodriguez, and Derrick Jeter. Of all these players, I believe that Aaron Judge is the G.O.A.T. 

Last season he hit 62 home runs, more than Babe Ruth ever hit or Roger Marris who had the previous Yankee record. Not only was this the Yankee record but it is the all-time non steroid record. According to ESPN, “This historic feat only adds to Judge’s sensational season batting .310, 1.106 ops and 130 RBI’s.”  This season, Aaron Judge has hit 51 home runs at the start of September with a month left to go. He is batting .322 with 126 RBI’s and a 1.150 OPS. While at the same time Marris was only hitting .269 when he hit 61 home runs according to MLB.com.

Others pointed to Ruth who did have a batting average in the .300’s, but he never had the kind of season that Judge is having right now, and he only played against white players which lowered his competition.  Many skeptics would say Ruth played against janitors and garbage men. Other Great Yankees who hit a lot of home runs are also disqualified due to steroid use.  Sports Illustrated commented about Rodriguez; “There had been suspicion since his junior year in high school and by his 2003 MVP season proof had come to light in the form of a failed steroid test.” This steeply contrasts with Judge who has never touched PED’s in his life; he is just a natural 6 ‘7 280-pound tank!

Although he is known for his power, he also has fantastic skill with the glove. Judge finished as a finalist for the Gold Glove award in 2017 and 2018 according to New York times and has continued to be spectacular in the field. Most thought he should have been nominated in 2023. With Essential Sports saying, “It is a known fact that he wants a gold Glove. The fact that he has never won it does not sit well with the Yankees fans. So, they’re now showing their displeasure to the world.”  He is continuing to be a great player in the field and the leader of the outfield. 

The biggest thing that separates Judge as a great player is his leadership. The most famous Yankees player who had a leadership problem was Mickey Mantle. He was known for drinking and partying. With Judge you have none of these problems. He is known for always running through first base, taking every play seriously, and being the named captain of his team. Everyone knows Derrick Jeter as the Captain. Now, many refer to Judge similarly with Pinstripe Alley calling him the new captain. On their website they list his leadership qualities as, “inclusivity and communication, emphasizing the importance of making every player, from rookies to veterans, feel valued.”  This goes to show how much of a leader the Yankee community feels he is. 

In conclusion, if Aaron Judge wins a World Series Championship, I believe he will go down in the lore of Yankee history as the Greatest all around baseball player to ever play for their team. He is a leader and hero in the Bronx and will one day be talked about by Yankees fans as one of the greats.