When Aaron Judge rejected the New York Yankees extension offer in his walk year, he managed to raise many eyebrows. After all, the slugger had turned 30 and was aging. However, Judge placed a bet on himself and delivered an extraordinary season, one not witnessed by MLB in several years.
While the 62 home runs season helped Aaron Judge fetch a record $360 million contract, the slugger failed to thrive on the momentum in 2023. His first season as the Yankees’ captain was heavily hampered by injuries, which eventually led to a postseason fallout. Thus, ahead of the 2024 season, the key to Judge’s success lies in his own health.
Aaron Judge Predicted To Achieve Great Things In 2024, Given His Health Prevails!
The 2023 season turned from a dream start to an absolute disaster campaign for New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge. He kicked off the campaign with a home run in his first at-bat and ended with a postseason elimination. So where did it go crumbling down for Judge? The toe injury sustained at Dodgers stadium in July changed the course of the Yankees’ postseason campaign. Not only did they lose Judge for the next eight weeks, but they also lost the anchor of the hitting lineup. Subsequently, the rest of the pack’s overdependence on the captain was exposed as the team ended the season in September. Meanwhile, with the 2024 season on the horizon, anticipation around Judge’s performance is sky-high.
Of course, this season, Aaron Judge wouldn’t have to bear the burden of running production alone as Juan Soto is there in the lineup to shed some load. Moreover, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com believes the Yankees captain can make another similar run to surpass his own 62-home run record in 2024. However, all this is just a pipe dream unless and until Aaron Judge manages to stay healthy. At this point in his career, Judge’s key to success is good health. As long as he can last for a 162-game stretch without any underlying injury corners, he is bound to witness success with the bat. However, as it stands, Judge’s towering physique, which once helped him hit gigantic home runs, has become a curse. Regardless, the Yankees have kicked off the off-season grind on a positive note and are expected to return in good health this coming season.
How Is Judge Spending His Off-Season?
With the 2023 season ending earlier than expected, Aaron Judge got extra time to unwind and heal from his toe injury. Since the off-season began, he has been spotted at multiple sporting events. From the NFL to the NHL to the NBA, Judge is making the most of the off-time to connect with the rest of the sporting world.
However, Aaron Judge was also seen practicing with teammates Gleyber Torres and Oswaldo Cabrera in a batting cage with the New York Yankees’ new hitting coach, James Rowson. He took some reps and shared wisdom with his teammates. It’s safe to say that Judge is back in his groove ahead of the pivotal MLB season.