Aaron Judge, the backbone of the New York Yankees, is in the first year of his nine-year contract. However, in the first year itself, the captain endured a major injury scare. He broke his right foot toe in June and still continues to reel with underlying pain. Don’t let his three-homer heroics fool you. The captain is playing with a compromised toe.
Captain Judge admitted to returning half-healed just for the sake of keeping the Yankees playoff boat afloat. However, with September approaching, the team still sits at the bottom of the AL-East, with the playoff race closing in. Under these circumstances, should the Bombers consider preserving Judge for the longer run? The Yankee fans weighed their thoughts on the same.
Yankees Fans Vote For Shutting Down Aaron Judge For The Rest Of The Season
Aaron Judge is undoubtedly the New York Yankees’ biggest asset. He is locked in for eight more years following the 2023 season and is very much the team’s only hope. However, there is no denying the fact that the 6-foot-7 beast has a troubling injury history. Even this season, the captain had to stay out for the majority of the season due to a gruesome toe injury, which is, in fact, still unhealed. Despite the underlying concerns, Judge has continued to take the field since late July. However, with the playoff race closing in on the Yanks and September becoming meaningless, is it ideal for the club to continue risking their captain for nothing?
The fans have delivered their verdict. According to a survey conducted by SB Nations, 66% of fans think Aaron Judge should be shut down for the rest of the 2023 MLB season. Despite his hot streak on the plate, fans are not convinced with the idea of risking the captain for nothing. Indeed, Judge must throw in his helmet for the year. His efforts are not helping the team win and certainly not elevating the club’s playoff odds. Hence, it is better for Judge to preserve himself as he has a lot of time left to serve the Yankees. Comprising on eight upcoming years just to prove an invalid point this year is not an ideal choice. It would be interesting to see how the Yankee front office reacts to this fan poll.
After Everson Pereira, Fans Call For Austin Wells Promotion
Recently, the New York Yankees promoted 22-year-old prospect Everson Pereira to major leagues along with Oswald Peraza. Pereira, who recorded a hot streak in Triple-A, earned a much-deserved promotion. Meanwhile, the Yankee fans demand the inclusion of yet another in-form prospect. As per a poll conducted by SB Nations, 42% of fans voted for the promotion of catcher Austin Wells.
Austin Wells has risen up the ranks this season by landing in Triple-A after ruling with Somerset Patriots in Double-A. So far, he has hit .262 with four home runs, 18 RBIs, and .808 OPS in 28 games. Having said that, Wells is not on the 40-man roster currently and is unlikely to receive a call-up in the near future. But, the doors to the 2024 season are wide open for the catching prospect.
