Is this Aaron Judge's last stand with the Yankees?
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NEW YORK – Five straight times, after the Yankees have either fallen just short or well short of a World Series, Aaron Judge has left the season saying the same thing.
Remember this feeling, use it as fuel to come back stronger next year.
Only, there might not be a next year in pinstripes for Judge this time. He’s weeks away from free agency, and the Yankees are about to enter MLB’s postseason tournament again.
Led by Judge.
“Every single one of those times that we’ve kind of fallen on our face has definitely been a learning experience,’’ Judge said. “We’re just excited to get back… and hunt it down this year.’’
Aaron Judge's 'all-time best bet'
Judge isn’t crazy about the bet-on-yourself phrase that entered the lexicon once he turned down a $213.5 million extension and entered his free agent walk year.
Calling it a “bet’’ is to say Judge gambled on his success.
Judge always believed in his ability, and his work led to a remarkable, historic performance in 2022, nearly winning the AL Triple Crown and smashing a league-record 62 home runs.
But even GM Brian Cashman referenced “the all-time best bet’’ that will soon pay off.
“It was already a big pot. Obviously, it’ll be bigger,’’ Cashman said this week of Judge’s next contract. “He’s put himself in a situation to have a lot of choices.
“We’d like to win the day on that discussion,’’ Cashman said. But “that’s one for another day.’’
Just weeks away from the freedom to negotiate with anyone, Judge can only add to that $300-plus million pay day by carrying the Yankees to their first World Series since 2009.
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“Definitely driven, just like everybody else in this room,’’ said Judge, one week after he passed Roger Maris’ 61-year-old single season record of 61 home runs.
“Now, it’s back to playing baseball, and we’re still going to have those same feelings, those same jitters,’’ Judge said of playing before a packed Yankee Stadium crowd ready for Tuesday night’s best-of-five Division Series opener against Cleveland.
“I think the past couple of weeks, going through that (home run chase) and having this whole team (be a part of it) prepared us for what’s to come here in postseason.’’
End of the Bronx line for Aaron Judge?
Yet, with each postseason at-bat comes the unsettling feeling around Yankees Universe that Judge is taking his final swings as a Yankee.
There is an awful lot of payroll flexibility on next year’s San Francisco Giants, and Judge calls Northern California home. He grew up rooting for the Giants.
And he’s spent every year as a Yankee, expecting a season to end with a trip up the Canyon of Heroes, in a tickertape shower – an only-in-New York happening.
Maybe the Yankees have enough starting pitching to overcome some lineup deficiencies – Judge still looks like Aaron Boone’s leadoff hitter – and a bullpen with a lot of question marks.
Reflecting on Judge’s one-for-the-ages year, Cashman was impressed with “the way he navigated the season.
“He always puts up huge numbers when he stays healthy. (It was) a remarkable accomplishment, very special to watch.’’
Judge will be 31 in April, and he’s pretty much sewn up a Monument Park plaque.
If he stays a career Yankee, Judge has a chance to move into that exclusive immortal pinstriped club, with Derek Jeter, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle.
“Man, it’s heaven,’’ Judge said about the playoff atmosphere in the Bronx.
“That’s where you want to be. I get the jitters. The intros, running out on that line, the crowd cheering the whole crisp, cool air. There’s nothing like it.
“You can’t hear the roll call. Even when I’m in right field, with the Bleacher Creatures I can barely hear what they’re saying, it’s so loud.’’
You wonder if Judge will hear those cheers again in 2023, or only the echo.