Aaron Judge’s teammates in the New York Yankees camp weigh in on the slugger’s leadership skills as he set to take over the captaincy duties this season.
The New York Yankees awarded Aaron Judge a hefty contract and the captaincy badge for his highly remarkable 2022 season. Looks like the slugger is all set to take over captaincy duties this season and will become the 16th captain of the $7 billion franchise. The office was previously held by the legendary shortstop, Derek Jeter, and has been left empty since his retirement in 2014.
Meanwhile, as the new season commences today, Aaron Judge’s leadership skills will be put to the test for the very first time. While the outfielder looks confident, he would feel the jitters initially in the tournament. Moreover, to lay out some support to their new leader, his teammates, Gerrit Cole and Luis Severino, had nothing but good things to say about Judge.
Gerrit Cole, Luis Severino Hails Aaron Judge’s Leadership Skills
New York Yankees ace starter, Gerrit Cole, delivered his verdict on Aaron Judge’s new captaincy role. He started out by praising Jugde’s love for the city of New York and the game of baseball likewise. Moreover, Cole said Aaron enjoys being a captain and embraces every responsibility that comes with it. The slugger is a down-to-earth and genuine person by heart, which shows in conversations he has with the rookies as well as the senior members of the camp.
Furthermore, Yankees pitching staff Luis Severino had a fresh take on Aaron Judge’s captaincy role. He said to the world and fans that he is the captain for this season. But for them, the players, the transition began long ago. They have looked up to Judge as their leader for a while now. Luis feels Judge cares a lot about winning and his teammates. He added that he has never seen a player in MLB who cares so much about his teammates that he often puts himself second on the priority list. That, for Severino, is a quality leadership trait. Overall, Judge had received a green flag from his teammates to carry on the captaincy duties in great spirits.
Can Aaron Judge Lead The Yankees To The 28th World Series Title?
The New York Yankees’ failure to win the World Series title for 13 years is taking a toll on the team. Every year, they come as close as they can get to the ultimate win but choke just at the wrong time. We saw it last season, the one before that, and beyond. However, this year, the fans expect a change in fortune with the brand new promising roster.
The front office worked really hard in the off-season to build a balanced roster, but things went south after key starters crowded the injury list. Hence, Aaron Judge, the new captain of the Yankees, faces an uphill battle to carry the team to the finish line. The job certainly would not be a bed of roses, but Judge, the kind of player and leader he is, would likely ace the challenge.