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After winning his third American League MVP award, New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge shared a shocking — but understandable — feeling about his accomplishments to date.
According to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News, Judge would trade just about every other accomplishment in his career for just one opportunity.
“‘I’d trade every award I’ve gotten and every All-Star appearance for an opportunity to win a championship,’ Aaron Judge said. #Yankees,” Phillips relayed on Twitter.
It’s clear from a fan perspective that while these accomplishments are meaningful to Judge, it doesn’t make losing feel any better. During the season, when asked about the hot debate over whether he or Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh should be the AL MVP, Judge was playful but blunt.
“That’s not my job,” Judge said, when asked his opinion on the AL MVP race ahead of the All-Star game back in July. “That’s your guys’ job to talk about so I’m just going to keep going out there and doing my thing.”
Judge has always emphasized the importance of winning games over any accolades, and his response to the MVP win was no different.
The Latest Greatest Without a Championship Ring
Judge has played his entire career to date with the Yankees, making his professional debut with them in 2017 and giving historic performances ever since. With this latest MVP award, and his countless other achievements this season alone, Judge has become one of the greatest to play the game, but never win a championship. It’s weighing on his fans, and it’s clearly weighing on the Captain.
An Unusual Losing Streak in the Bronx
The Yankees have not won a World Series since 2009, and fans in New York are feeling that streak after falling short yet again in 2025. The front office is working to make some needed changes in the offseason, but even with the highest WAR of any team in the majors this year, the Yankees couldn’t pull it all together. The team has been criticized for a lack of hunger, particularly this season, and for their less-than-ideal approach to injuries.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone shared his frustrations this year at the season’s brutal end to the Toronto Blue Jays, sharing that he has been chasing a World Series win all his life.
“I’m confident we will break through,” Boone said, h/t Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News “I have been every year. It’s hard to win the World Series. I’ve been chasing it my whole life.”
Judge will more than likely be the Yankees’ marquee player for years to come, but there is a degree of urgency to getting a World Series win not only for the legendary franchise, but for their star player, who doesn’t have infinite time.
