BOSTON — Aaron Judge holds many titles these days: Captain. MVP. Best hitter in baseball.
The one he is most proud of?
Nora’s dad.
Judge’s daughter, nearly 5 months old, will be in the stands Sunday at Fenway Park to see her dad play on his first Father’s Day.
At this stage in the season, she frequently attends Yankees games alongside Judge’s wife, Sam. However, this particular game holds a special significance, although she might not realize it just yet.
“I aspire to be just like my dad,” Judge expressed. “I aim to impart crucial life lessons to my daughter, be a constant presence in her life, and emphasize the value of hard work and attention to detail. Being her dad is probably the most significant title I’ve earned; it’s truly special.
“She’s been to a lot of games,” he added. “She loves it. She’s usually sleeping for half of them, but she loves it.”
Numerous theories have emerged regarding why or how Judge is experiencing one of the most remarkable starts to a season in the history of the game.
Perhaps the easiest explanation?
Dad strength.
Judge entered Saturday batting .390 with a 1.265 OPS and 26 home runs through 68 games. Nora may have a hand in that.
There is more of a balancing act between time at and away from the field this season, but Judge has found it easier not to carry the game back home with him.
Not that there have been many rough days to his season so far, but when there are, they go away quicker.
“It makes everything a little easier — not easier, but I go 4-for-4 or 0-for-4 and she’s still looking at me with the same smile, no matter what happens,” Judge said. “That just helps me turn the page a little quicker to get to the next day, to the next moment, because I want to enjoy every moment I have with her and share those special moments. So I don’t want to drag what I’m doing at work home when I see her. That definitely helps me turn the page a little better.”
Judge said his daughter is already on the baseball schedule, so she is up with him late at night when he gets home from games.
She sleeps in during mornings with them, too, and then he plays with her before he heads to Yankee Stadium.
There are fewer dinners out on the town and less video games to be played in whatever free time Judge has left.
And road trips have become tougher when his wife and daughter do not come with him.
“I’m not sleeping that well on the road,” Judge said. “I’m so used to having them right there and knowing that they’re safe and with me. So some of the road trips when they’re not going, I’m up all night tossing and turning, thinking they’re next to me.”
Still, they are not far from his mind even when he is at the ballpark.
Judge used to make fun of his teammates who had babies because “all they wanted to do was share photos of their kids.” Now, he has become that guy.
“I’m in the same boat where I get a new photo from my wife and I’m showing all the trainers, showing guys, ‘Look what she did today!’ ” Judge said.
“I turned into that person that I couldn’t stand,” he added with a laugh.
Judge has plenty of company.
The Yankees have their fair share of dads in the clubhouse these days, including fellow new ones like Trent Grisham, Devin Williams and Tim Hill, who are also experiencing all the firsts and unknowns of fatherhood.
“We can chat over different things, like I talked with Grish and he asked me a question about, ‘Hey, what’s the secret to help them sleep through the night? You got anything for me?’ ” Judge said. “Little things like that. So it’s pretty cool we get to share those moments.”
