Aaron Judge, the pivotal figure of the New York Yankees, is signed through 2031 and owes $40 million annually. The entire roster revolves around him, as he is now the captain of the group. Naturally, the nine-year extension contract has only added to his list of responsibilities.
Having said that, going forward, Aaron Judge’s importance and influence over the decision-makers of the franchise will only elevate. Moreover, the remaining bits of doubt were cleared by the leadership group, Hal Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman, during their Tuesday address. But whether it will be a boon or a curse, only time will tell.
Aaron Judge Likely Meddling In Yankees’ Internal Decision Making Process!
2023 was Aaron Judge’s first year as the captain of the New York Yankees. While he couldn’t do much to save his team from playoff elimination due to injuries, Judge was very vocally critical of the lost season. He later confirmed his plans to get involved in front-office matters during the off-season. The captain said he had plans for quick fixes and wants to see major changes coming in ahead of the 2024 season. Weeks later, Hal Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman indirectly confirmed Judge’s increased influence in internal matters. During his Tuesday address, owner Steinbrenner mentioned the slugger’s name on two occasions. He categorically said that he and Judge are working on key off-season changes that they deem significant enough.
Steinbrenner also said that he and Aaron Judge are working every day. That suggests that he is meeting the captain on a regular basis to discuss necessary changes. Further, Brian Cashman also mentioned Judge in his address. Cashman said he sought clarity on the slugger’s take on analytical numbers. Earlier, Judge said that the Yankees are presumably looking at the wrong set of numbers. The GM revealed that the slugger wants the batting average and RBI rate to be appreciated more in the future. Additionally, Steinbrenner confessed he sought the opinion of several Yankee personnel, including Aaron Judge, to decide on the future of manager Aaron Boone. Without a doubt, Judge is taking a step further in the franchise’s hierarchy. But is it healthy enough to let a player meddle with front-office matters to this extent? That’s a debatable topic that the Yanks must figure out.
Hal Steinbrenner Announces Return Of Aaron Boone In 2024 On The Basis Of Strong Recommendation
During his Tuesday’s crucial address, Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner made a couple of obvious yet important announcements. He confirmed the return of skipper Aaron Boone for the upcoming 2024 season. However, Steinbrenner did confess to having second thoughts on the manager’s future. To seek clarity, he turned to current and former Yankee players for their unbiased opinions.
The group of people included captain Aaron Judge, former world champions Nick Swisher and Andy Pettitte, and executives Omar Minaya and Brian Sabean. All of the above-mentioned personnel voted for Aaron Boone’s return as they felt he was the right man for the job. Also, Steinbrenner’s admiration of the respect Boone has in the Yankee clubhouse acted as the last straw.
