Judge embracing title mindset: 'If you don't win, what's the point?'
New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge is leaning into the championship-or-bust mentality.
"There's no other way to put it," Judge said, according to Jorge Castillo of ESPN. "Ever since I've been a Yankee, getting drafted in 2013, all that was ever ingrained in my head or what we were taught is win in New York. Be a winner. Championship mindset. It's just always been the way I was raised, even before I got here it was: If you don't win, what's the point?"
Judge is the favorite to take home his second AL MVP in three years after recording an MLB-best 58 homers with 144 RBIs and an eye-popping 1.159 OPS over 158 games for the AL East-winning Yankees. However, the 32-year-old superstar has yet to appear in the World Series over his nine-year career.
The six-time All-Star acknowledged that personal accolades pale in comparison to securing an elusive championship.
"Yeah, but that's not why I play," Judge said when asked if you can have a great career without winning a Fall Classic. "I don't play for, whatever, Player of the Month or MVP. That's not why you play. You play to be the last team holding up the trophy, where you look back at all your teammates and just think of the hard work that you put in all year and have that connection."
The Yankees made the ALCS three times during Judge's tenure before falling to the Houston Astros in 2017, 2019, and 2022.
New York has a golden opportunity this postseason to reach the World Series for the first time since the franchise's 27th title in 2009. The team is currently up 1-0 in its ALDS matchup with the Kansas City Royals and would have home-field advantage in a best-of-seven ALCS against the Cleveland Guardians or Detroit Tigers.
Pairing Judge with Juan Soto boosted the club's odds, as the Bronx Bombers employ the best offensive one-two punch in baseball.
"He always talks about (winning a championship)," Soto said. "He always, from the first day that I got here, he's always talked about how he wants to win a championship, how he wants us to win a championship, how he wants to win a championship for the Yankees and be part of the history."
The Yankees will look to put the Royals on the brink of elimination with a Game 2 win Monday.