New York Yankees fans aren't happy with the current performances of the team, with many calling for general manager Brian Cashman to be fired. Watch any Yankee game as of late, and you've heard the chants from fans.
But Yankees superstar Aaron Judge stepped in to defend him after Friday night's win over the Diamondbacks.
"The fans aren't happy, and I think they're the ones that are showing out every single night and paying a lot of good money to watch us go out here and win some games," Judge said, via NY Daily News' Gary Phillips. "And this year, we haven't. So, I think, as an organization top to bottom, we all take responsibility. But as a player, I feel like we take the most. We're the ones out there doing it. We're the ones out there playing every single night, so I hear their frustration, that's for sure. We'll get it right."
This is a huge change of stance as Judge is now telling fans to blame the players instead of management, who has put the players on the roster and the field, contributing to many of the team's losses and the overall disappointment of 2023.
Yankees star Aaron Judge takes blame for players, not Brian Cashman
Judge's defense of Cashman is surprising, but he is the captain of the Yankees, and a good captain takes full responsibility and goes down with his ship Judge isn't going overboard anytime soon.
Judge has dealt with some health concerns throughout the Yankees' struggles in the 2023 season. But overall, he has been the Yankees' best player, even without replicating the 62-home run season from last year.
In 2023, Judge has played in 100 games, hitting 35 home runs and knocking in 70 RBIs, while batting .267 with an OBP of .401 and an OPS+ of 172, meaning he is 72 percent better than the average hitter.
Judge is willing to take the blame because when he is healthy, the Yankees are a winning team, with a record of 54-46. But when he is not playing or injured, the Yankees hold a record of 24-30, showing that he is the main factor in leading the Yankees to the postseason.
