Former Yankees Teammate Makes Bold Aaron Judge Declaration

This is why, when Aaron Judge was given his third American League Most Valuable Player award, there may have been no better person to present it to him than Rizzo himself, who finished his career taking the field with Judge for his one and only World Series appearance.

Rizzo's on Aaron Judge's Place in History

At the BBWA Award dinner, Rizzo not only gave Judge his hardware and a few kind words, but he also made a bold declaration about his place in Yankee lore.

"Playing in New York is different, as everyone knows," Rizzo said at the BBWA Award Dinner. "When you put the pinstripes on, you're going to have good times, you're going to have bad times, and they get heavy at times. There's a lot of great players and a lot of great history in the New York Yankees organization. And right behind me, who's about to accept his award, is arguably the greatest to ever put on the pinstripes—and in his career, the best is yet to come.

"The lights shine brighter, the pressure is heavier, every moment is magnified, and not everyone is built for this stage," Rizzo continued. "You've seen a lot of guys fold under these big lights. What he does every day with his selfless leadership is something I admire."

Rizzo's Time with the Yankees

Rizzo spent four years in New York with Judge. In 370 games and 1,544 plate appearances, he hit .234/.326/.409 with 60 homers. He was never quite the player that he was in Chicago, but that wasn't entirely his fault.

In 2023, Rizzo was off to a hot start after coming off a year where he hit .224/.338/.480, with 32 homers, and looked like the Rizzo of old. After a weird collision with Fernando Tatis in May, Rizzo suffered a concussion and was never the same. He finished that season hitting .244/.328/.378, and, in 2024, the year the Yankees won the pennant, he hit .228/.301/.335 and retired soon after.

Though Rizzo's tenure in New York could have swung in the exact opposite direction had it not been for the collision, his trade is one of the more exciting acquisitions in recent memory. It truly was unexpected, and he was the consummate Yankee.

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