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New York Yankees' Slugger Aaron Judge is Dethroned

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Kristie Ackert | Last updated Feb 5, 2025 12:06 PM ET

Over the last three years, Aaron Judge has set the single-season record for home runs in the American League. The New York Yankees’ slugger has twice won the American League Most Valuable Player award. Named the first captain since Derek Jeter, Judge got the Yankees back to the World Series for the first time since 2009.

But, apparently, that is not enough in New York City.

Former Giants running back Tiki Barber demoted Judge on his WFAN radio show. He declared that New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson has taken Judge’s crown as the "King of New York."

"You can't argue about it anymore," Barber said.

"A year has gone by and, let's be fair about what's happened in that year," Barber explained. “Aaron Judge won an MVP; he was amazing. He then proceeded to drop a fly ball in the World Series. Jalen Brunson continued the Knicks vibes as they got to the second round of the postseason. And, unfortunately, he got hurt at the very end, as did everybody else.

"He came back and the Knicks have one of the best records in the league."

Not only was he demoted, but Barber rubbed salt in the wounds of Yankees fans with the dropped-ball dig. The dropped flyball was the beginning of the Yankees' disastrous Game 5, fifth-inning meltdown.

But, it was not all Judge's fault.

Shortstop Anthony Volpe, a Gold Glover, committed an error. Veteran and multiple Gold Glove-winning first basemen Anthony Rizzo and veteran ace Gerrit Cole did not cover first base on a routine ground ball.

Game 5 was the sloppy, anti-climatic end of the road for the Yankees, who fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-1 in the series.

It would be hard to blame it all on Judge if only he'd hit in the postseason.

Judge slashed just .184/.344/.408 with three home runs and a .752 OPS with 20 strikeouts and 11 walks over 14 games in the playoffs.

For some, that is their lasting memory of Judge's 2024 season, not the league-leading 58 home runs he hit or the 1.159 OPS.

His postseason has undoubtedly left some doubters. Last month, Former Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon called him a "regular-season player. "

And now he's seemingly been dethroned.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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