Aaron Judge is the newest Yankees captain, an honor that was all but assured once it was reported that he was back with the Yankees on a nine-year deal.
But how did Judge’s captaincy come to fruition? It actually happened on the same phone call that secured Judge’s return to the Bronx.
“It was three in the morning. I was back in California on the phone with Hal, kind of, ‘What’s the holdup? What’s it gonna take to get this to the finish line?’” Judge recalled.
“We worked some things out, and at the end he spoke about how Thurman Munson was his favorite player…and how important the captain honor was to his family and this organization. He presented it to me and I was kind of at a loss for words. It felt like I didn’t say anything for five minutes.”
Judge will indeed join the likes of Munson and Willie Randolph (who was in attendance at Wednesday’s press conference and received a shoutout from Steinbrenner as his other favorite former captain), and it all came to be with a phone call with the Yankees owner that cemented Judge’s new contract, the rest of his career, and his Yankee legacy as the 16th captain.
“It’s such an honor,” Judge said. “I’m just really blessed to be a part of this organization for nine more years.”
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