Sunday, August 03

NEW YORK -- There was a quiet moment in the Yankees clubhouse last week, and Pablo Reyes approached Aaron Judge, a grin across his face and a glowing iPhone in his right hand.

“I just voted for you,” Reyes said, showing his teammate a completed MLB.com All-Star ballot.

• VOTE NOW: 2025 PRO SPIRIT MLB All-Star Ballot. Watch the All-Star Game presented by Mastercard July 15 on FOX

Judge offered a fist bump and a laugh, the kind that says, “Thanks, I appreciate it.” Reyes grinned, nodded, and moved on. It was a telling moment -- even in a clubhouse populated by stars, it’s clear who stands at the center.

Reyes’ gesture is surely being duplicated by countless fans across the country every minute, with voting underway for the 2025 MLB All-Star Game, to be held July 15 at Atlanta’s Truist Park.

Judge was guaranteed a spot in last year’s American League starting lineup after being the leading vote-getter through Phase 1, his sixth All-Star selection overall.

Given his stellar performance early this season -- including a multihomer performance on Sunday vs. Boston -- the captain shouldn’t be making any vacation plans for the break.

“I try to look at it as, I’ve got a job to do every time I’m headed to the plate, no matter if I’m hitting .170 or .300,” Judge said recently. “You try to block out the past and focus on the situation at hand -- if you’ve got guys on base, get them in. If nobody’s on base, try to get a rally going. I try not to look at [stats] until the season’s over.”

There are no such limitations for us, so let’s take a peek. Judge is leading the Majors in batting average (.396), on-base percentage (.493), slugging percentage (.771), OPS (1.264), hits (95), extra-base hits (42) and more.

Judge is pacing the Majors in batting average by over 20 points, and for a pair of former teammates who have been around since the beginning, that dramatic improvement in consistency stands out most. Judge always had fearsome power, but chasing a Triple Crown?

“.400 is actually the only thing that is crazy to me,” said Rangers catcher Kyle Higashioka, Judge’s former teammate. “That’s pretty nuts. He’s gotten better every single year, and the power is not a surprise, but the average?”

Higashioka recalled how Judge struggled in his first taste of the Majors in 2016, a performance that prompted Judge to tap a note in his iPhone as a reminder: .179. Those motivational digits remain near the top of Judge’s saved messages, along with the touchpoints that keep his swing intact.

“That was so upsetting to him that he did not play well in his first experience that he completely overhauled his swing [going into 2017],” Higashioka said. “He wasn’t content with just being another player. He wanted to absolutely maximize his potential. And he has, and he continues to get better.”

Red Sox outfielder Rob Refsnyder, a close friend of Judge’s dating to their Minor League days, calls his pal’s performance “incredible” -- especially in his situation, where opposing clubs are actively summoning high-leverage arms, trying not to allow Judge to face a starting pitcher three times in a game.

“He’s going to go down as one of the greatest Yankees ever,” Refsnyder said. “When you’re coming up with somebody, you can’t really fathom some of those things. You talk about Yankees history: They put his name next to Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, icons like that. And he’s right there.

“It’s a credit to him and his work ethic. He’s constantly evolving, and it’s fun to watch from afar.”

You know where else Judge would be fun to watch? At the All-Star Game. Phase 1 voting is underway and continues through June 26 at 12 p.m. ET.

The Yankees have received the American League’s 2025 Bobby Murcer Award. Named after the former Yankees outfielder and Baseball Assistance Team chairman, the annual award recognizes the team from each league that made the largest donation to support B.A.T.'s work.

B.A.T. is a non-profit dedicated to confidentially helping members of the baseball family who are in need.

It’s a bird, it’s a plane -- it’s Aaron Judge!

One of the season's most anticipated Yankee Stadium promotions will take place on June 20: “Aaron Judge Superman Bobblehead Night,” issued to the first 18,000 guests and presented by Fanatics Fest NYC. More information here.

Who was the first Yankee to be named All-Star Game MVP?

A. Derek Jeter
B. Mickey Mantle
C. Roger Maris
D. Dave Winfield

June 9, 1928: Tony Lazzeri went 4-for-5 with three RBIs, and Lou Gehrig hit a solo home run in a 7-3 victory at Cleveland. The Yankees improved to 39-8, giving them a 10 1/2 game lead in the American League.

A. Jeter

Jeter received All-Star Game MVP honors in 2000, when he notched three hits, including a double and a two-run single that gave the AL the lead and victory at Atlanta.

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