"That's where I want to be" - Aaron Judge looking to Tom Brady & LeBron James for inspiration as Yankees star plans for long career
New Yankees Yankees captain Aaron Judge has never ceased to amaze fans with his top-notch performances. Judge has embarked on a journey to become the leader in home runs for the 2024 season. Several believe that the six-time All-Star continues to carry the weight of his team.
The slugger had a slow start this season, but halfway through he's already leading the MLB with home runs. In an interview with the "Casa de Klub" Podcast, Judge opened up on his dream of playing baseball for a long time.
When asked about Tom Brady and LeBron James, Judge said he aspires to have the same longevity as the two superstars. The Yankees star is eager to play until the age of 40:
"I think they kind of paved the way where it's like, man, I want to play till I'm 40. Like I want to be able to play until, hey, you know what, I'm done with this game. I gave it everything I could and like I'm at peace with it," Judge said.
Judge further praised the NBA and NFL legends for winning championships and Super Bowls in their 40s. He said that he also wanted to head in the same direction and play for as long as possible:
"Like that's where I want to get at in my career because some guys, they play and it's like their body breaks down, something like gives out on them to where they can't perform where they want at the highest level.
"So that's where you see these guys [Brady and James], where they're playing at the top of the game. They're winning Super Bowls, they're winning championships and they're in their 40s. It's like, man, that's where I want to be," Judge added.
Aaron Judge stays ahead of Shohei Ohtani in home run race
Two powerful hitters in the league are competing to the best of their abilities to make their team win. Judge might have started out slow, but is still ahead of Los Angeles Dodgers phenom Shohei Ohtani in home runs.
Judge has smashed 32 home runs so far, while Ohtani surpassed Baltimore Orioles' Gunnar Henderson to reach second place with 28 home runs, dropping Henderson to third place with 27 home runs. With his current pace, Aaron Judge is expected to cross his 2022 record of 62 home runs.