Aaron Judge has secured a prominent place in New York Yankees history, joining the ranks of legendary players such as Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, and Yogi Berra. Judge made his debut at Yankee Stadium in 2016 with a home run that foreshadowed his future achievements.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone commented on Judge’s milestone after he surpassed Yogi Berra for fifth place on the franchise’s all-time home run list. “The last few years, with what Aaron’s done in this league, the seasons he’s had, he’s been in some rarefied air,” Boone said. He added: “There’s been these impressive lists or names that he’s up next to. But when you see a career list like that, with this organization, and where he is right now in the center of it, it’s pretty awesome.”
Teammate Carlos Rodón reflected on Judge’s consistent performance: “It’s going to be a 50-homer year, and we’re saying, ‘Eh, it’s kind of a down year for Judgey,’” Rodón remarked. “Which is crazy.”
Judge faced challenges early in his career but quickly rose to prominence by winning the Home Run Derby and earning Rookie of the Year honors in 2017. Cody Bellinger recalled competing against him during All-Star Week: “My first impression was that I had no chance of winning the Home Run Derby,” Bellinger said. “I knew that going in, and I literally just wanted to go and have some fun.
“It’s seriously unbelievable. The names that you’re seeing, these are legends. Ghosts of legends. It really is insane.”
Boone described Judge’s presence on the field: “It’s a big word in 2025: aura,” Boone stated. “He definitely has it. He’s got a presence, obviously. Just his size is a presence, but he’s got an easy, calm, cool way about him, too. A gentle giant, but also a killer between the lines. And obviously, one of the game’s great players and one of this generation’s great players.”
Judge remains modest about his accomplishments but acknowledges their impact on those close to him: “Getting a chance to see me do things like this, which I don’t think they even thought was possible, there’s really not much to say,” Judge said. “It’s kind of just, ‘Hey, we’re proud of you. Just keep being you.’”
Rodón summarized Judge’s significance for both fans and teammates: “It’s pretty obvious,” Rodón said. “This is one of the best ever. The numbers speak for themselves.”
