Recently, the Yankees’ All-Star catcher Lou Trevino spoke on the Audacy Original Podcast “BXB.” He told WFAN’s Keith McPherson and Sweeny Murti about Aaron Judge‘s leadership and how pleased he would be to call him his captain.
Lou Trevino said of Aaron Judge:
“This guy is really New York; this guy is the perfect example of a New York Yankee. I know everyone is talking about it, but this guy’s jersey will soon have a capital letter on it.”
Nestor Cortes was the first to propose the name of Aaron Judge as the Yankees’ captain. While talking to the press at Yankee Stadium a few hours before the start of Game 3 of the American League Championship Series between the Yankees and the Astros, he popped up the proposal. As Cortes answered questions from the media, he was asked about Aaron Judge’s recent home run chase and how the slugger affected the clubhouse. The Yankees’ starting pitcher replied:
“He’s meant everything. I think I’m able to say that if he’s back here next year, he’s our captain; he’s the next captain. We follow everything he does. He leads by example. He’s not really a guy that comes out and screams at anybody. But if he has to, that’s his job. I think he’s earned that right to keep us in check. What allows him to be so great, I feel like, is he’s a great baseball player, but he’s a better human. He treats everybody the same. He follows up on everybody every day. That’s what allows him to be who he is.”
There have also been many reports that Aaron Judge will be the first Yankees captain since Derek Jeter retired in 2014. That doesn’t surprise Trevino at all.
“There’s no surprise. He should. He’s earned it. He deserves it. I can’t wait to start calling him cap, man,” Trevino told. “Seriously, this dude is everything you want in a leader, everything you want in someone to represent your team, and if that guy’s leading the charge for us I have full confidence in that.”
Aaron Judge is only 30, but he has already hit 220 home runs in 729 games. That’s an average of 49 home runs per year for a full season. He will have a lot of time to add to those numbers while leading the Yankees to victory.
The Yankees will try to improve on their 2022 season with Trevino, Aaron Judge, and most of the lineup back. They will also add a few prospects to the mix. They have signed star starting pitcher Carlos Rodon and could make more moves before Spring Training.
Since Derek Jeter’s last game in 2014, the Yankees haven’t had a captain. During the spring training that year, Brian Cashman named Captain Clutch “the all-time captain” and suggested that he was in favor of “retiring” the position of captain with the Yankee legend.
“I’ve never been the one that’s made the decision to name a captain,” Cashman said. “That doesn’t sit at the manager’s desk. It doesn’t sit at the general manager’s desk. It sits at the owner’s desk. I certainly shared my feelings out of respect for Derek Jeter and the legacy he left. I felt it was appropriate to state that I wasn’t sure if we’d ever need one again, but that doesn’t mean someone else worthy wouldn’t emerge. Clearly, in Aaron Judge’s case, he is spectacular.”
Before Jeter, the last Yankees captains were Thurman Munson from 1976 to 1979, Graig Nettles from 1982 to 1984, Willie Randolph from 1986 to 1988, Ron Guidry from 1986 to 1989, and Don Mattingly from 1991 to 1995. So, is now a good time for Aaron Judge to change? Based on what Steinbrenner has said recently about the Yankees’ homegrown superstar, the answer should not come as a surprise.
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
