When Aaron Judge stepped up to the mic during All-Star Week, he wasn’t just talking stats— there’s a bigger mission behind this game. Citing Jeter as his inspiration, Judge hinted at something deeper than dominance — a legacy in the making. Just like Jeter once defined an era in pinstripes, Judge now seems poised to shape the next one.
Speaking with Pat McAfee, the Yankees captain laid it out clearly: “I’m just trying to keep the Yankees legacy going and doing everything the right way… I’m following the lead of Derek Jeter.” That was not just a one-off line. It was a peek into his deeper thoughts. When asked what it looks like to be “the guy” in the Yankees, Judge brushed it off with humility: “I wouldn’t say I’m the guy… I’m just another guy.” However, in the Yankees, we all know he is the guy.
It is the Jeter blueprint that the current captain swears by—lead quietly, play hard, and avoid the noise. The captain expanded, “The way [Jeter] went about it, the way he played the game… staying out of the spotlight, doing everything the right way—I’m just trying to follow his lead.” Such a thought process is rare in the current MLB; however, Judge is not here to grab headlines. The star said he only agreed to the media because he felt “obligated to the MLB people.” Much like Derek Jeter in his heyday, Judge is aimed at what matters most: being the rock in the team and paving the way for whoever picks up the torch after him.
However, honoring Jeter’s instance is not just related to character, but also about performance. Just this season, the Yankees captain surpassed Jeter in a vital statistical category: Wins Above Replacement. With Judge’s scorching .396 average and 35 home runs already, the captain notched his seventh season with a WAR over 5.0, edging out Jeter’s six such seasons. This puts Judge fifth in team history, behind only legends like Ruth, Gehrig, Mantle, and DiMaggio. Not bad company for someone who insists he is “just another guy.”
While Aaron Judge draws deeply from the past to shape his leadership in the Yankees, the star is not living in history books. Judge’s targets are fixed firmly on October, and there is one team and one name that Judge is laser-focused on.
Judge’s Message: Dodgers, Ohtani, and the Brewing Rematch
Aaron Judge is not just following Jeter’s legacy, he is carving out one of his own— which includes handling unfinished business. When the star joined The Pat McAfee Show in Atlanta, Judge was not just there to charm the room. When asked related to Shohei Ohtani and the Yankees‘ painful World Series loss to the Dodgers, his reaction was clear and confident: “He’s a great guy and a great ambassador for this game… we’re gonna get him back though, we’ll see him down the road.” The judge did not flinch or dodge. He put the Dodgers and Ohtani on notice.
That thought process fits perfectly in a city built on ambition. The Yankees haven’t forgotten how last season ended. And neither has Judge. The Dodgers may be baseball’s new-age villains, stacked with star power and swagger, but the Yankees aren’t short on firepower either. With MVPs on both rosters, and a rematch highly possible, this isn’t just about October baseball—it’s about a rivalry with championship stakes. Judge, now fueled by Jeter’s philosophy and last year’s frustration, looks ready to flip the script.
NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 18: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees hits a home run in the second inning during the game between the Cleveland Guardians and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, October 18, 2022, in New York, New York. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Aaron Judge is not just wearing the pinstripes—the star is embodying everything they stand for. From channeling Derek Jeter’s quiet leadership to boldly calling out the Dodgers, he is shaping the Yankees’ present and future.
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