30-year-old slugger Aaron Judge single-handedly lifted the New York Yankees to the ALCS last year with a record-breaking performance. After denying a contract extension ahead of last season, Judge decided to turn the season around. Aaron hit 62 home runs and 131 RBIs with a batting average of .311 in the 2022 season. Hence, registering his career-best figures.
As a result, Aaron Judge became the focal point of the free agency market. The teams pounced on Judge with lucrative deals. Just as the slugger made up his mind to sign with the Giants, the Yankees played pulled up a final trick and convinced Aaron to stay. Subsequently, Judge became a forever Yankees by signing a massive nine-year contract worth $360 million. However, can the slugger replicate his extraordinary performance in the 2023 season as well?
What\’s In Store For Aaron Judge In The 2023 Season After A Record-Breaking 2022 Season?
No doubt Aaron Judge is the face of MLB for now. After a remarkable offensive performance last year, the slugger got past free agency with big bucks. Moreover, Judge\’s exceptional numbers earned him his first MVP award, as well as the Yankees\’ captaincy. However, fans are wondering if the slugger can replicate last year\’s performance. What can Aaron do for an encore? For starters, let\’s look at the past and see what the other Yankees did after a record homer season.
For starters, Babe Ruth, after scoring 60 homers in 1927, came back with 54 home runs the following season. Further, Roger Maris created the world record of 61 homers in 1961 but significantly dropped to 33 in the very next season. Judge\’s teammate Giancarlo Stanton hit 59 home runs in 2017 and followed up with 38 the next season. Hence, Aaron Judge, too, has a good chance of scoring a good number of homers for the 2023 season. Well, it\’s almost impossible to replicate such an extraordinary season. The expectation is still going to be way too high on Judge as he is the leader of the team now.
Judge\’s FanGraphs Projections For the 2023 Season Are Out!
New York Yankees\’ newly appointed captain, Aaron Judge, had a breakthrough year in 2022 after scoring 62 home runs in a single season. However, the latest FanGraphs projections predict that the Yankees slugger will hit 46 home runs in the 2023 MLB season. That\’s significantly less than last year, but to be honest, such a phenomenal season is way too hard to replicate. Still, 46 is not a low number.
Aaron Judge will lead the New York Yankees next season as the franchise\’s 16th captain. Moreover, the slugger will have a big responsibility on his shoulders to take the team through the finish line and end the 13-year-long World Series jinx. For now, the dream looks far-fetched, and the spring training will display the real picture.