The fans are not going to let Aaron Judge forget the WBC loss any time soon. First, a few fans said that he is not “Captain America” and said that he is a “serial choker”. But during Spring Training games, they have taken this up a notch. And Yankees legend Reggie Jackson doesn’t like it.

During Spring Games, the fans who were there during the Yankees-Orioles game booed Aaron Judge when his at-bat came.

Michael Kay reported this, saying, “Jackson’s a big fan of Judge… And he said, listen, everybody got booed. I got booed. Jeter got booed, Mickey Mantle got booed… But Reggie said, I have never, ever heard of anybody getting booed in spring training.”

That 3-2 loss to Venezuela in the WBC final is still stinging a lot of people. And they are not holding back in letting Aaron Judge know. But it wasn’t just Judge who failed in the finals; the whole team did. Yes, Aaron Judge went 0-4 in the finals, but the whole team got only 3 hits. But Judge is the only one getting criticised, because his name is Aaron Judge.

Reggie Jackson added to this and said, “They don’t boo nobodies,” meaning that the only people who get booed are people who are doing great. Since 2022, Judge has had an average of 50 homers per season. In 2025, he hit .331 with 53 homers and led the league again. His wRC+ has been above 200 for the past 3 seasons. This means that he was performing double of what the league average was.

But fans keep pointing to the recent performances he has put up. During the 2024 postseason, Judge had an average of .184. And to make it worse, his dropped ball was the exact point where the Dodgers rallied in the World Series Game 5 to win it.

Kay questions the fans, asking what they are trying to achieve by this, because Judge remains unfazed.

When the New York Post asked Aaron Judge about the boos, he said, “I’ve got a job to do… so I’m not going to be bothered by criticisms. If I were, I’m never going to accomplish what I want to do.” But Kay says that just a couple of bad performances don’t outshine what he has achieved in his career.

Can Aaron Judge be the captain the Yankees need?

The idea that Aaron Judge can simply change his leadership style is simply illogical. This is a trait that has slowly developed over the years. Judge has improved communication, as seen during the 2024 clubhouse meetings after losses, as reported by beat writers. He addressed teammates after a June 2025 slump, when the Yankees went 9-12.

But expecting him to be like Derek Jeter (1 World Series as a captain) during the 2000s postseason runs is unrealistic.

What the Yankees need is accountability. In 2023, the Yankees ranked 29th with a batting average of .227. This showed that the Yankees lacked collective performances, not just a lack of leadership.

Compared to Don Mattingly, who confronted teammates publicly during the late 1980s slumps. During his time as a captain, Mattingly confronted Ruben Sierra after taking a long time to circle the bases after a homer. But Aaron Judge is different, remaining measured and internal.

That difference shows most during adversity, like with Anthony Volpe. Anthony Volpe committed 19 errors in 2025. That led to losses in games against the Marlins at a crucial time for the teams. Judge has supported Volpe publicly and privately, showing growth.

Yet the larger question remains whether that approach can drive consistent accountability across a roster chasing postseason success.