New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge is an All-Star for the fifth year in a row and he's more than earned the title this season.

Judge is batting a league-leading .355 with 35 home runs and a bonkers 228 OPS+. He's also leading the American League in hits, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, walks and runs scored.

On the eve of the 2025 All-Star game, Judge stopped by the Pat McAfee Show where he reflected on being Yankees captain and what it means to follow the last person to hold that title, Derek Jeter.

“I’m just trying to follow, keep this legacy going,” he said. “The captains that came before me, especially the last one, Jeter, the way he went about it, the way he played the game, the championships, the staying out of the spotlight, doing everything the right way. I’m just trying to kind of follow his lead and keep that legacy going so that when I’m done playing hopefully someone behind me is taking the next torch.”

The Yankees named Judge captain in the 2022-23 offseason. After flirting with other teams and nearly signing with the San Fransisco Giants, Judge signed a nine-year, $360 million contract with New York to stay in the Bronx, likely for the rest of his career.

Yankees' Aaron Judge is nearing exclusive home run territory

New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) hits a two run home run against the Chicago White Sox during the fifth inning at Yankee Stadium.
Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports

Judge is in his 10th season in the majors and enters the All-Star break with 350 career home runs. That puts him just one behind Alex Rodriguez for sixth place on the Yankees' all-time home run list and seven more behind Yogi Berra.

While it's not likely he ever catches all-time leader Babe Ruth, who hit 659 homers with the Yankees, he's a good month away from catching Joe DiMaggio, who is in fourth place with 361.

Judge is also one of only three Yankees ever to have a career OPS above 1.000 (1.027), though he would have to maintain that the rest of his career to say with Ruth and Lou Gehrig in that exclusive group.

The Yankees captain is also within striking distance of history this season. Though Cal Raleigh is on pace to surpass Judge's single-season AL home run record, Judge isn't far behind. Through 96 games, he's on track for 59, which would leave him three short of his own record.

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