Aaron Judge is one of the biggest talents to amaze New York Yankees fans, perhaps being best known for his batting abilities.
This outfielder is a dedicated team player and has an admirable passion for his professional team.
When seeing Judge standing next to other players from Major League Baseball, the height difference is almost cartoonish.
Judge is tall enough to even make some National Basketball Association players look small.
How Tall Is Aaron Judge?
Aaron Judge is 6’7”, putting him at the same height as the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Oneil Cruz, Los Angeles Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard, and even Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler.
After a photo of Judge and Houston Astros’ second baseman Jose Altuve began circulating around the internet and television, baseball fans were able to better understand just how tall the 30-year-old athlete is.
Altuve is 5’6”, which is only slightly shorter than the average American man, and still looks almost child-like next to Judge.
Despite Judge’s height advantage, Altuve doesn’t believe that Judge sees his height as some big advantage when playing each other.
Aaron Judge is known for being motivated to play well by the victory-focused drive that he was raised with.
Even his opponents have noticed what an excellent teammate Judge is and how dedicated he is to the game of baseball.
In his seventh season playing with the New York Yankees, Judge managed to earn Rookie of the Year and a Silver Slugger in 2017.
Judge would win another Silver Slugger award in 2021.
This outfielder spent his childhood playing football and baseball, earning himself both football and baseball scholarships by the time he graduated high school.
Judge knew that he could play both sports in college and decided to take a scholarship from Fresno State University to play baseball.
Just like his professional career, Judge’s college baseball career was highly decorated soon after joining.
Each of the three years that Judge was a Fresno State Bulldog, he earned his way to the All-Mountain West Conference and was even named Freshman All-American.
As a Bulldog, Judge led his college team to the College World Series in 2011 and 2012.
Judge would make his debut as a New York Yankee on August 13th of 2016 and became one of Major League Baseball’s most fearsome players.
Was Aaron Judge Adopted?
Yes, Aaron Judge was adopted as an infant by his parents Patty and Wayne Judge only a day after he was born.
Judge is always quick to credit his parents for helping him become both the person and the athlete that he is today.
Both Judge and his parents have been incredibly open about their experience with adoption, which has helped the family bond more closely.
According to Aaron Judge, finding out that he was adopted never bothered him.
Instead, it made his relationship with his parents feel more special because they chose to love him.
Judge comes from a closed adoption, which means that the adoptive parents or child do not want contact with one another.
The professional outfielder has never met his biological parents and has no interest in meeting them because he’s more than happy with the parents he has.
Aaron Judge was about 10 or 11 when he began to notice that he looked nothing like his parents, which led him to ask questions.
Neither of his parents ever wanted to hide the fact that he was adopted, and they were ready to answer his questions.
Even as a child, Judge was never bothered by the fact that he was adopted.
In his eyes, the parents who adopted him are the only parents he has ever known, and their family is the only family he has been a part of.
Aaron Judge has described both his parents as “blessings,” with his parents quickly returning the sentiment to their two adopted sons.
Judge is especially grateful for the mindset that his mother raised him with, attributing much of his success to her teachings.
Both Patty and Wayne Judge are retired physical education teachers who were firm believers in hard work, compassion, and always going the extra mile.
Did Aaron Judge Fix His Teeth?
Yes, Aaron Judge had dental work done to help fix his teeth.
Before the dental work, Judge was known for having a strong jaw and a massive gap between his two front teeth.
Judge may have been quiet about having his teeth fixed, but it was immediately noticeable when he went to answer questions during an interview surrounding his potential extension terms.
The outfielder may be known for being quiet despite his massive size and talent, but fans could immediately notice the change in Judge’s physical appearance.
Aaron Judge hasn’t announced why he decided to fill in the gap between his teeth, but some fans believe that it may have had to do with Scranton Wilkes-Barre RailRiders’ gap-toothed nutcracker Christmas ornament that was based on the player.
The seemingly insulting nutcracker featured an unconventional grin with a thick, black stripe painted between the two front teeth.
Any celebrity would lose some confidence if their merchandise looked like that infamous collectible.
Although New York Yankees fans loved to make jokes about Judge’s tooth gap, many fans felt that the unique facial feature was a small but lovable part of Judge’s image.
However, this new smile could help the player pave a new public image for himself, especially after hitting his 30th home run of the 2022 season before the All-Star break.
While fans may miss the player’s gap-toothed smile, they have quickly noticed how much more confident he looks in pictures.
Rather than having to try to snap a quick, candid photo of him smiling with his teeth, Aaron Judge no longer has a problem looking at the camera head-on and giving it the biggest grin he can.
Judge’s move to fix his teeth may have been part of his most recent plan to take better care of himself.
How Much Is Aaron Judge’s 2022 Contract Worth?
Aaron Judge is set to make $19 million, after going back and forth with the New York Yankees about how much his upcoming contract would be.
This one-year contract helped confirm that Judge was planning to become a free agent after the 2022 season.
Prior to coming to this decision, Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees were set to appear in court for arbitration.
However, the Yankees were able to get out of going to court just minutes before they were supposed to be entering the courtroom.
Judge originally had asked for $21 million, but the New York Yankees only offered him $17 million.
Yankees General Manager Hal Steinbrenner was quick to blame the negotiation process on the limited time they had during the offseason, but he also claims that he doesn’t regret how things turned out.
Steinbrenner originally thought that $17 million was a reasonable number, considering what Judge contributed to the team and what the team could currently afford.
However, many members of the professional baseball league were quick to point out that Judge deserved the money he was asking for.
Despite having to debate with the Yankees about his future contract, Judge was still willing to give the best performance he could when the Yankees faced the Pittsburgh Pirates in early July.
Judge led the charge to victory, helping the Yankees dominate the Pirates.
Even Steinbrenner has not ignored the fact that the Judge is an excellent team player and serves as a strong leader for the New York team, the manager agreeing that his outfielder is worth at least $21 million.
Luckily for Judge’s career-long team, this player is mainly focused on ensuring that his team gets to the World Series.
He will also have the chance to earn $500,000 in bonuses.
Why Has Aaron Judge Been Pulled From The Yankees’ Lineup?
Aaron Judge was pulled from the New York Yankees’ lineup temporarily while he healed from a lower back injury.
Judge described the injury as a muscular tightness that went all down his lower body and into his calves.
The outfielder’s manager, Aaron Boone, believed that the injury was caused by the way that Judge had been pushing himself so hard recently.
Although the injury was not serious, nobody wanted the injury to worsen or turn into something that would need surgery.
The tightness began shortly after the Yankees’ game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, where Judge was able to achieve his 3rd career grand slam and helped the team win 16-0.
However, the outfielder was completely absent from the next game on the following Thursday.
Rather than being able to play alongside his teammates, Judge was receiving treatment in the visitor’s clubhouse in order to reduce the pain from the muscular tension.
Although both Judge and his manager felt that he would be fully recovered by the following week, Judge was still ready to play as a pinch-hitter if need be.
Aaron Judge isn’t the type of professional athlete to sit back and watch as his team does the heavy lifting.
Judge understands the importance that he holds as a member of the team and is willing to do whatever it takes to support them.
The only reason Judge felt comfortable taking a break was the 14-game advantage that he helped build up with the Yankees in the American League East.
Even General Manager Brian Cashman felt that Judge’s decision to relax was a good idea.
Cashman understood that his players had to go through 162 games while traveling back and forth across the country.
His players have a tiring career that doesn’t always allow for much time to rest and heal.
Is Aaron Judge Going To Play In The All-Star Game?
Yes, Aaron Judge is going to be in the 2022 Major League Baseball All-Star game in Los Angeles, California.
Judge will be joined by fellow New York Yankee Giancarlo Stanton.
Judge has firmly held the top vote within the professional league, but Stanton hasn’t shared the same certain popularity.
Luckily, Stanton was able to beat out Toronto Blue Jays George Springer during the second round of voting.
This year’s All-Star Game will be Aaron Judge’s fourth appearance and Stanton’s fifth appearance.
The Yankees duo will be joined by Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, making this game Trout’s 10th appearance in the All-Star game.
Judge is making history with this All-Star Game, making him the eighth player in Major League Baseball history to go to the All-Star Game four times based on fan selection.
He’ll be joining players such as Derek Jeter, Dave Winfield, Alex Rodriguez, Wade Boggs, Robinson Canó, Rickey Henderson, and Reggie Jackson.
One of the defining features of Judge’s career before going into this All-Star Game is his 30 home runs.
Judge is only the third New York Yankee to ever hit the 30 home run mark before the All-Star break.
That feat had only previously been achieved by Alex Rodriguez and 1960s Yankee Roger Maris.
Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton are the first pair of Yankees outfielders to earn an All-Star Game together since Hall of Famers Dave Winfield and Rickey Henderson.
The duo will not be the only Yankees at the All-Star game.
The pitchers and reserves include New York Yankees such as Jose Trevino, Nestor Cortes, Gerrit Cole, and Clay Holmes.
Major League Baseball ensures that all teams will be represented in both the American and National Leagues.
With the 2022 All-Star Game happening in Los Angeles on July 19, New York Yankees fans seem to have an exciting game coming up soon with six of their favorites appearing, the most from one team this season.
Why Isn’t Aaron Judge Allowed To Grow Out His Facial Hair?
Aaron Judge isn’t allowed to grow out his facial hair because of a facial hair policy that George Steinbrenner first established when he joined the New York Yankees organization back in 1973.
Steinbrenner decided to enforce the hair policy after noticing that many of his players’ hair was too long for his liking while they were taking their hats off for the National Anthem.
Steinbrenner was still so new that he didn’t know any of the players’ names. Instead of writing down the names of players with “problematic” hair, Steinbrenner wrote down their numbers and immediately told Ralph Houk to deal with them.
Players in question included Sparky Lyle, Thurman Munson, Roy White, Bobby Murcer, and more.
Houk was reluctant to relay the message to his players, but he did as Steinbrenner wanted and had the players trim their hair.
The hair policy states that no player or male staff member’s hair is allowed to be worn below their collar.
No facial hair is allowed, except for mustaches, sideburns, or mutton chops.
This hair policy remains in place today and is only one of many strange rules that the New York Yankees must adhere to.
Ever since the hair policy was put into place, multiple players have fought against it.
When Yogi Berra told Goose Gossage to get rid of his beard in 1983, Gossage maliciously complied.
He shaved his beard into a mustache that went past his upper lip and down to his jawline instead.
Gossage’s facial hair became iconic and has remained with him for decades.
Don Mattingly was the next player to fight the hair policy in 1991 when he was benched for growing his hair out into a mullet.
Mattingly would run into trouble again four years later when he tried to grow a goatee.
Does Aaron Judge Have His Own Charity?
Yes, Aaron Judge has a charity called the All Rise Foundation that seeks to inspire children to become the future of their communities, despite the backgrounds that they may come from.
When the foundation was started, it focused its efforts on Judge’s hometown of Linden, California.
In 2018, the All Rise Foundation held its first Baseball ProCamp at the outfielder’s high school baseball field.
The camp was completely free for children ages nine to 14 years old to join and was a major success, allowing them to bring the free camp back in 2021.
The foundation uses its All-Star Evenings as regular fundraising events.
These events include a reception, dinner, a message from Aaron Judge, a silent auction, and a live auction.
Through these fundraising events, the foundation is able to fund its camp and is able to send more than 100 students from the Linden Unified School District to important leadership conferences that are meant to help shape their futures.
After joining the GENYOUth program through PepsiCo, the All Rise Foundation brought the “Fuel Up to Play 60” campaign to the outfielder’s school district.
The campaign hopes to help teach students the importance of nutrition and physical exercise.
The All Rise Foundation has also teamed up with the New York Yankees for their #ICANHELP campaign, which helps recognize the academic talents and needs of Bronx students.
The foundation was even able to participate in the Yankees’ Bronx Educational All-Star Day.
As the organization grows, it plans to expand its efforts to include areas such as San Joaquin County, Fresno County, and even as far as New York.
Even as it expands its reach, the All Rise Foundation promises to maintain its constant support of the Linden Unified School District.
Aaron Judge May Become A Baseball Legend
Aaron Judge seems to have all it takes to become a baseball legend and even land himself in the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame.
From his talents as an outfielder to his batting abilities, Judge has the talent and the mindset to earn his place among many other great athletes.
Although some may question the newest generation of athletes, Aaron Judge proves that old-time fans have nothing to fear.
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