Ever since Aaron Judge stepped into the role of the New York Yankees captain, he has faced constant comparisons. People have always drawn parallels between Judge and Barry Bonds or the previous iconic Yankees like Derek Jeter. But Judge doesn’t pay much heed to those comparisons, infact he doesn’t even believe people are comparing him to such greatness, such is his humility. The 32-year-old captain said, “It’s not real” on all the parallels people are drawing with him and the rest.

But as they say, comparison is the thief of joy, but also the birthplace of ambition. While we have heard this adage a million times- Judge recently proved that it has weight. When asked about Derek Jeter and the Old Timer’s event, Judge revealed that he has not only been talking to the legend Derek Jeter but how he is also looking forward to meeting him at the event!

Aaron Judge eager to meet Derek Jeter

The Yankees will host their 76th Old Timers Day on Saturday to commemorate their big 2009 World Series win—their 15th anniversary. Many of those who played a big part in the team to reach their triumph will be present, including Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Hideki Matsui, and this time for the first time, even Alex Rodriguez will be present at the ceremony. With such icons present, it gives the players of today a chance to talk their hearts out with the flag bearers of the yesteryear. Aaron Judge, in particular, is thrilled to take full advantage of this moment. Mostly, he wanted to talk to Jeter!

When Judge was asked about the Old Timers event, he said he was more than eager to meet Derek Jeter and the others. His motive is clear — he wants to soak in information. He wants to learn some tips or gather some information to give them an edge to win competitions. “He [Jeter] told me he was coming in, so pretty excited about that, to get a chance to talk to him in person. It’s been a minute, but you can always learn something from those guys. They won a championship here. A lot of guys in this room have not won a championship, and you can always pick up something from them, “ Judge said.

This sort of mindset highlights exactly why so many people view Aaron Judge as one of the best captains in the baseball world—he is smart, humble, and knows that there is always more to learn. Judge understands that Derek Jeter’s leadership brought the team a whopping five championships, a legacy that everyone still talks about. It’s a feat any captain would aspire to have. So unapologetically, Judge wants to be the sponge and absorb all the knowledge Jeter and the rest of the 09’ championships are willing to share. Judge knows that applying their strategies can help him on his quest to lead the team to victory. 

Aaron Judge brushes off comparisons with the baseball greats

Aaron Judge is so much like Barry Bonds! Does he have what Jeter had? Judge has always been compared with others—that’s what happens when you are reaching great heights, we suppose! But Judge doesn’t pay much heed to them. Instead, he dismissed the comparisons by saying he didn’t believe them! Call it humbleness or something else, the 32-year-old slugger mentioned that he doesn’t spend much of his time thinking about these. “It’s not real. I try not to think about it. Even they would say a lot of the Yankee greats here – Mantle, DiMaggio, Maris, Babe Ruth. It’s tough to comprehend or even think about” said Judge. Despite his humility, his performance paints a different picture!

Judge is a clear frontrunner for this year’s American League MVP. He is dominating in on-base percentage, slugging, OPS, total bases, home runs, and RBIs. He is also seemingly on track to match his 62 home run record, which he had set in 2022—which established an AL single-season milestone. Just past Friday, he crushed his 49th home run of the year and now just a month is left for the regular season to get over, so anything can happen. Naturally, because of Judge’s power, more comparisons are drawn to Barry Bonds. Bonds holds the all-time high in terms of MLB record with a crazy 762 career home runs; he even set the single-season record with 73 home runs in 2001! Judge’s got the most intentional walks this season with 16, but Bonds still holds the record for walks and intentional walks. 

But while comparisons to such legends are inevitable, every outstanding player has their own path. What one can do is embody that winning spirit, the mentality, and this is what Judge seems to be doing exactly. The Yankees are inching closer to clinching a playoff berth, with their record standing at 76-53 atop the AL East. Right now, Judge’s willingness to seek advice from past champions could be exactly what the team needs to secure success in the postseason.