Yankees' captain Aaron Judge describes the moment he learned about winning the Roberto Clemente award: "I was speechless"
Aside from possessing otherworldly hitting ability, Yankees outfieldr Aaron Judge commits significant time off of the field to community initiatives. Now, the superslugger is being recognized for the work that he has done.
The winner of the 2022 MVP Award, Judge set a single-season record for home runs last season. Many believe Judge would have matched or surpassed his home run number this season had he not been injured for nearly two months.
"We are proud to announce that Aaron Judge is the winner of the 2023 Roberto Clemente Award, baseball's most prestigious individual honor" - MLB
On October 30, it was announced that Aaron Judge will be receiving the 2023 Roberto Clemente Award. The Award, which serves to recognize community involvement and character contributions. The award is named after famed Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Roberto Clemente.
Judge's charity ALL RISE, founded in 2018, demonstrates his philanthropic impact. The organization aims to inspire young people to take up leading roles in their communitites, ones that are near to Judge's heart.
In a subsequent press conference, Judge recounted that he was working out with his wife, Samantha, when he got the fateful phone call. According to Judge, he could hardly believe when a Yankees PR rep told him that he had won the honor.
"I was speechless. Aaron Judge says he was working out with his wife and was concerned a trade happened when he got the call he won the Roberto Clemente Award" - Yankees Videos
Each team had one candidate to win the Roberto Clemente Award. Competitors ranged from Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to retiring legend Miguel Cabrera, of the Detroit Tigers. Ultimately, Judge will become the first Yankee to win the Clemente Award since shortstop Derek Jeter did so in 2009.
Aaron Judge will be presented with the Roberto Clemente Award during a ceremony ahead of Game 3 of the World Series between the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks on Chase Field on Monday.
Aaron Judge continues to demonstrate excellence, both on and off of the field
As if shattering home run records was not enough to be perpetually celebrated, Judge continues to show the world how gracious he is off of the field. A devout Christian, Judge's attitude makes him nearly as popular with the fans as does his raw skill. After a tumultuous 2022, Yankees fans will be awaiting a revival from Judge in 2024.