EXCLUSIVE: Atlanta Sports Radio host Chris Dimino discusses the outlook for New York Yankees and Aaron Judge for 2023 season
The New York Yankees and Aaron Judge are thirsty for a big season after being swept out of the 2022 American League Championship Series by the Houston Astros. While the Astros went on to win their second World Series title in six seasons, the 27-time champion Yankees have not claimed the title since 2009.
While New York has only missed the postseason three times since topping the Philadelphia Phillies for that year's World Series championship, this is the team's longest championship drought since 1979-1996.
Atlanta Sports Radio host Chris Dimino shared his thoughts on the New York Yankees as well as their offensive talisman Judge in an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda:
"Yankees who didn't get Trea Turner, who didn't get Dansby Swanson... They didn't get Carlos Correa. Now all of a sudden, for as good as they can be, and you want Stanton to come back and be healthy for all these things. That could happen."
The Yankees uncharacteristically steered clear of the free agency market for the most part this winter while the crosstown New York Mets broke the bank. While the Yankees did not move to acquire any big-name offensive stars, they did make a play to shore up the starting rotation by signing Carlos Rodon. Dimino questions whether Rodon will be good enough to get New York over the postseason hump:
"Carlos Rodon was a really good pickup for them, and him and Gerrit Cole are fine, but in a world where what did your offense gonna do in the postseason? It was terrible last year in the postseason.
The New York Yankees offense orbits around superstar Aaron Judge. The 2022 AL Most Valuable Player and new league all-time home run king was nearly lost to the San Francisco Giants before re-signing with New York during the free agent signing period. Dimino said:
"Yes, so it was a unicorn type season, no doubt about it. The big thing will be can you pitch around him more than average? You can throw around him a little bit, but he just needs one, maybe two.
But can Aaron Judge's Herculean 2022 be replicated? Dimino has his doubts:
"If Aaron judge was up, you know, it's freakish. Do I think it can happen again? No."
Loving to hate Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees
Dimino believes the New York Yankees are one of those teams that drive interest in their sport, even with a somewhat villainous mystique:
"You know what's nice about them is you know, I think it's the Yankees, Duke, the Lakers, Notre Dame. I think they're the ones that nobody sits on the fence. Like you either love them or you hate them. I'll hate watch or root against a couple of teams. The Yankees are good for baseball in that regard."