Aaron Judge can be called out on his post-season slump, but one cannot deny he was a force to be reckoned with in the regular season. The New York Yankees wouldn’t have made it to the postseason without Judge on their team. This is exactly why, in 2022, the Yankees had paid a whopping $360 million to Judge—they knew he would be the perfect man to succeed Jeter as a Yankee captain. And Judge’s calm and composure do mimic Derek Jeter.

Even though the major slumps, Judge has remained focused and had an eye on the prize. However, one cannot compare Aaron Judge to Jeter simply because the latter is a 5X World Series champion. Judge, meanwhile, having spent his entire career in pinstripes, doesn’t have a WS ring to show off. It’s not the rings, but also Judge’s influence, which former Minnesota Twins third baseman Trevor Plouffe says is not on a par with Jeter.

Trevor Plouffe’s hot take on Aaron Judge vs Derek Jeter

Trevor Plouffe dropped a hot take, and it sure will get the Yankee fans talking—is Aaron Judge a better baseball player than Derek Jeter? During his chat with Chris Rose on Baseball today, this question came out, and Plouffe didn’t mince words. I think he’s a better baseball player than Derek Jeter was; I really do,” said Plouffe. But before Jeter fans started yelling at the screens, Plouffe also added something else: “When you talk about ‘impact,’ Jeter had a lot of intangible qualities that probably make him the favorite for ‘best Yankee since then. The cultural impact Jeter had probably outshines what Aaron Judge has done so far.” 

Plouffe tried to convey that Jeter wasn’t just a player but rather a phenomenon. “If you ask casual fans or people who aren’t hardcore baseball fans, many still name Derek Jeter as their favorite player,” said Plouffe. Well, Jeter was the face of the Yankees, and he embodied the ideal of grace in sports. He belonged to a mixed race, allowing him to resonate with a diverse community. Plus, in a time when scandal often tarnished the image of sports, Derek Jeter was clean and a role model for all.

Jeter’s farewell is a testament to what he meant for the fans in the Bronx. Fans screamed, “Thank you, Derek!” and “De-rek Jeter!” throughout all the last eight games in the Bronx in 2014. Aaron Judge, though, might need to work harder to get there.

Samantha Bracksieck’s helped Aaron Judge’s Yankee journey

Aaron Judge just won the AL MVP unanimously. But this isn’t just his personal triumph but also a win for his wife, Samantha Bracksieck. She had played a key role in helping him shape his future with the New York Yankees. After his stellar 2022 run, Judge had entered free agency and was pulling in competitive offers from everywhere. While he wanted to be with the Yankees, the negotiations were stalled and in limbo. This is where Samantha stepped in!

Aaron Judge recalled on the Casa De Klub podcast that he had a late-night heart-to-heart talk with his wife on his anniversary trip to Hawaii. This is when Samantha asks him, “What do you want to do?” and Judge has to confess. The Yankee star said, “I want to stay in New York.” After this, he called Hal Steinbrenner, saying he didn’t want to go elsewhere. The Yankee owner, meanwhile, before hanging the call, said to Judge, “Oh, by the way, we’re going to make you the next Yankees captain.” Well, Judge still has to earn a ring to complete this legacy of his.

Now, while many are surprised about his recent MVP win, given his post-season records were nowhere close to some other players, what’s your take on Judge’s role in the team? Share below.