"It's nothing to be ashamed of" - When Brian Cashman took a stand for Aaron Judge and the Yankees following postseason failure
The New York Yankees are a team that is associated with constant success. Fans have high expectations of them to win the championship every year. But when the team’s 2022 post-season ended prematurely, disappointment hung over the organization.
During this chaos, general manager Brian Cashman spoke up to support Aaron Judge and his team. Cashman did not pay any heed to the criticism but, in turn, offered words in support of Judge. According to Bryan Hoch's book, '62: Aaron Judge, the New York Yankees, and the Pursuit of Greatness,' Cashman said:
“Is Aaron Judge a bad player because his postseason wasn’t good? No. Ultimately, I don’t think people recognize the slippery slopes of the postseason. Our process led to the second-best team in the American League, one of the best teams in baseball.
“We’re proud of that. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. People want to call it an excuse that injuries prevented us from reaching the highest level. I’m not saying if we were fully capable that we would have gotten by the Astros, but we would have had a better shot.”
The Yankees' captain and slugging right fielder, Aaron Judge, had a great regular season. But his form dipped when the playoffs began. He was closely watched because of this and the team's general problems.
His leadership qualities and ability to perform well under pressure began to be questioned by vocal supporters and media sources. The Yankees were swept by the Houston Astros that offseason, who went on to win the World Series.
Yankees’ Aaron Judge to practice indoors
Aaron Judge was supposed to be back on the field today. However, according to MLB insider Bryan Hoch, Judge opted to do his batting practice work indoors.
He was out of action with stomach discomfort but an MRI revealed there was nothing to worry about.
When the Yankees manager Aaron Boone was asked when Judge would return to the field, he said he didn’t want to predict it anymore.
“I'm not going to predict anymore. I'm not worried about it. We'll see," Boone said.
It is unclear about when Aaron Judge will return to action.