Aaron Judge Gets Torched by a Bay Area MLB Host: “He’s Gutless, He Didn’t Want the Pressure of Barry Bonds”

The air crackled with bittersweet electricity at Oracle Park this weekend as the New York Yankees, led by the colossal bat of Aaron Judge, swept the San Francisco Giants in a thrilling series. Judge, a California native who grew up idolizing the Giants, went yard three times, including a majestic 464-foot bomb on Sunday. The irony wasn’t lost on anyone—here was the Bay Area boy, now a Yankee, dismantling his hometown team.

The sting was even sharper for Giants fans because Judge was reported to be seriously considering joining their ranks during his free agency a year ago. This rumor, fueled by an erroneous tweet from the New York Post’s Jon Heyman, tagging him as “Arson Judge,” gained massive traction and left many fans fantasizing about Judge in orange and black, leaving trails of fiery homers at his wake in Oracle Park. However, the All-Rise ultimately re-signed with the Yankees for a mammoth nine-year, $360 million deal.

This decision clearly rankled Matt Steinmetz, a radio host on 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, who offered his own, rather spicy, take on why Judge chose the Bronx over the Bay: “There’s one reason why Aaron Judge didn’t want to come to San Francisco: He’s gutless,” Steinmetz gave an ultimate declaration. “He didn’t want the pressure of Barry Bonds. He didn’t want to hit 50 home runs a year, and Giants fans say, ‘Ho Hum.’” Steinmetz’s hot mic moment certainly raised eyebrows.

Choosing to stay in the pressure cooker of New York, a media market that thrives on dissecting every swing, strikeout, and stolen base, wouldn’t be most people’s definition of “gutless,” but Steinmetz’s point about the shadow of Barry Bonds, the Giants’ legendary home run king, is an intriguing one. Could the weight of expectation and the constant comparisons to a player who redefined power hitting have deterred Judge?

Aaron Judge is a haunting “What If” for Giants fans

Perhaps. But let’s not forget the allure of pinstripes. The Yankees are a juggernaut this season, boasting a 42-19 record and sitting comfortably atop the American League East, while their captain himself is having an MVP-caliber year, batting a scorching .288 with a staggering 1.075 OPS to go along with his 21 home runs and 47 RBIs entering today’s game. With a team this good and a contract this hefty, it’s easy to understand why the bright lights of New York and the franchise’s record of a successful 27 Fall Classic titles might have held more appeal than the picturesque bay views of San Francisco. This doesn’t lessen the sting for Giants fans, though.

Here they are, watching a player who could have been theirs lead his team to a sweep while their own Giants languish at a disappointing 29-31. The “what ifs” must be swirling—what if Aaron Judge had really chosen to don the orange and black? Would Oracle Park be erupting for him instead of Yankee Stadium? These are questions only time, and perhaps another free agency dance, can answer. For now, the impetus for Steinmetz’s ireful comments goes beyond just the pressure of following Bonds.

The Giants are currently sitting at a dismal 29-31, a far cry from their championship aspirations. With Judge’s power bat in their lineup, perhaps they wouldn’t be languishing in third place in the NL West. This sentiment is echoed by many San Francisco fans, who now look back at Judge’s free agency with a heavy dose of “what if.”

Adding another layer to the narrative is the fact that Judge wasn’t the only future star the Giants missed out on during free agency. Bryce Harper, Shohei Ohtani, Shota Imanaga, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto—the franchise sort of has a history of seeing key players dominating the MLB arena choosing their rivals to sign a deal with, over the Bay Area. This multiple dose of disappointments adds fuel to the fire for Giants fans, who feel their team whiffed on not one but several potential franchise cornerstones.