02/16/26 04:26:00
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02/16 16:24 CST Yankees captain Aaron Judge, like many fans, fretted for much
of offseason over lack of moves
Yankees captain Aaron Judge, like many fans, fretted for much of offseason over
lack of moves
By RONALD BLUM
AP Baseball Writer
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) --- Aaron Judge fretted like many Yankees fans as big-name
free agents kept signing elsewhere.
"It was brutal," the New York captain said Monday after the year's first
full-squad workout. "Early on it was pretty tough to watch. I'm like: Man,
we're the New York Yankees. Let's go out there and get the right people."
Judge spoke at length about the Yankees' lack of World Series title since 2009,
of homering and striking out against 22-year-old flamethrower Carlos Lagrange
during the workout, about captaining the U.S. in the upcoming World Baseball
Classic and last year's elbow injury.
"The awards, the MVP, All-Stars, man, that stuff, it doesn't matter. What
matters is putting New York back on top and putting this organization back
where it belongs," Judge said. "I don't get paid to just play this game. I get
paid to win here."
Judge missed 10 games between July 25 and Aug. 5 because of a flexor strain in
his right elbow sustained making a throw home from right field at Toronto on
July 22. He didn't return to the outfield until Sept. 5 and he threw gingerly
at 67.9 mph. Judge gained arm strength during the rest of the season but didn't
get to 100%.
"I've never dealt with any elbow stuff, so I was definitely concerned," he said.
Judge wasn't sure until after the postseason that he would avoid surgery.
"They ran all the checks again and did all the tests and they said: `You're
good to go,'" he remembered. "And I said: All right, when can we start
throwing? So it was good. It was great. It was great to hear those words so
that now I can go into the offseason and just prepare the way I need to be in
the best shape to start the year."
His elbow is at full strength.
"Throwing to bases a couple of times already, so no worries," he said. "Just
excited to get back out there and just have the confidence, especially --- that
was the toughest thing for me last year, was the pitcher's working his butt off
and the guys around me were working their butt off and then the ball was hit to
me and I had no shot."
Judge, who turns 34 in April, won his third AL MVP in four years and became
just the fourth player in major league history to hit 50 homers four times
after Babe Ruth, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. He won his first AL batting
title, hitting a big league-best .331 with 53 homers, 114 RBIs, an AL-high 124
walks and a major league-leading 1.144 OPS. Then in the playoffs, he went 13
for 36 with one homer, seven RBIs and a 1.273 OPS.
New York, seeking its first title since 2009, retained center fielder Trent
Grisham early in the offseason but didn't make bigger moves until late.
"Let's sign these guys right now and start adding more pieces because I'm
seeing other teams around the league get better," Judge said. "They're making
trades. They're signing big prospects or big players. And we're sitting there
for a while kind of making smaller moves."
Asked whether he made his thoughts known to the Yankees, Judge flashed a toothy
grin and said: "Yeah, oh, yeah."
New York's late moves involved re-signing Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt.
The Yankees also acquired left-hander Ryan Weathers from Miami in a trade.
"It was frustrating, but I think we're right where we need to be," Judge said.
Judge appeared to clear Steinbrenner Field in left on a 99.3 mph from Lagrange
(pronounced La-GRAN-he).
"Was so far," Lagrange said in amazement.
Judge later struck out on a 102.6 mph fastball from the 6-foot-7 right-hander,
and praised "his personality and presence."
"He's impressive. I've seen a lot of videos, I've heard a lot of stories about
him over the years," Judge said. "He came right after us and that's what you
need if you're going to play in the Bronx, you're going to play in New York.
You got to have that demeanor, that it doesn't matter who's in front of you."
Lagrange was promoted to Double-A Somerset last June and went 7-6 with a 3.22
ERA in 15 starts and one relief appearance, striking out 104 and walking 50 in
78 1/3 innings. He has been working to improve his control.
"He's done a lot of the little things behind the scenes where he's cleaned up
his work and controlling the running game," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said,
"He's shown to be a leader. Really love his makeup on top of obviously what is
a really big arm."
A seven-time All-Star, Judge is starting his 11th major league season.
"It's just been really fun to not only witness the great things he's done on
the field," Boone said, "but to witness him just grow as a player, as a man, as
leader, as the captain, as a father. He's just really revered by everyone that
walks through that room, and that's very real. And to have your superstar
player, a face of the sport, be somebody that is so approachable ---- I heard
one of our players talk about: `He makes you feel like you're the most
important person in the room.' He's got that quality about him that really
resonates with our guys."
Starting his ninth season with New York, Boone addressed the team along with
general manager Brian Cashman. Boone seeks out Judge's thoughts on key
decisions.
"There's probably no other player that I run things by, that I kind of partner
with on some things," Boone said. "If I'm thinking about shaking something up
or doing something different, a lot of times I'll talk to Judge about it just
to --- we're on the same page, make sure how it's going to play in the room."
Judge often seeks out Boone.
"There's been so many times I'll be frustrated with something or I don't like
what's going on and I'll be kind of sitting in his office right after the game,
ready to kind of talk things out," Judge said.
"I think just having that option to where I can voice the opinion of the team.
I try to listen to everybody on the team, if it's a bullpen guy, if it's a
backup catcher, to the starting first baseman I want to hear everything they
have to say and even the opinions I have and I take it right up to the top and
he's pretty good about getting back to me. He'll voice his opinion at times
where he's like: "No, I don't agree with it this time' or there's other times
when he's kind of like, ?Hey, I think that's that's a good idea.'"
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