NEW YORK – Aaron Judge was named captain of the New York Yankees on Wednesday, becoming the first team captain since Derek Jeter retired at the end of the 2014 season.
Judge, the reigning American League MVP, agreed to a nine-year, $360 million deal to remain in pinstripes.
“This is an incredible honor that I don’t take lightly,” Judge said at a news conference at Yankee Stadium, where Jeter was sitting a few seats away.
As Judge was chasing Roger Maris’ home run record in the American League and making a new mark at 62, some teammates began publicly lobbying for him to become captain, including first baseman Anthony Rizzo and pitcher Nestor Cortes.
New York had six previous captains during the Steinbrenner family period: Thurman Munson (1976-79), Graig Nettles (1982-84), Willie Randolph (1986-88), Ron Guidry (1986-89), Don Mattingly (1991- 95). ) and Jeter (2003-14). Randolph was in the audience on Wednesday.
“He’s a great Yankee on and off the field. Off the chart lead,” said owner Hal Steinbrenner.
The judge sat between his wife Samantha and Steinbrenner on a podium at Yankee Stadium. Flanking were Jeter; Judge’s Agent, Page Odle; Yankees President Randy Levine; managing director Brian Cashman; Manager Aaron Boone and Chief Operating Officer Lonn Trost.
Judge hit a homer in his first big league at-bat for the Yankees in 2016, and the 6-foot-7 outfielder has become a larger-than-life figure in the Bronx. He was voted AL Rookie of the Year in 2017 and has helped New York reach the playoffs in each of the last six seasons.
A four-time All-Star this year, he hit a .311 and took the major league lead with 131 RBIs.
Owner George Steinbrenner decided to name Jeter captain in June 2003 after the team announced the decision at a press conference in Cincinnati when the Yankees were in town to play the Reds. Hal Steinbrenner took control of the Yankees from his father in November 2008.
Past Yankees captains have included Clark Griffith (1903–05), Kid Elberfeld (1906–08), Willie Keeler (1909), Hal Chase (1910–11), Frank Chance (1913 to midseason), Rollie Zelder ( 1913 mid-season to end). , Roger Peckinpaugh (1914-21), Babe Ruth (1922) and Lou Gehrig (1935-39).
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