Nestor Cortes: Aaron Judge Should Be Yankees’ Captain If He Returns

Judge is an impending free agent. Cortes hopes he’s back with a new title.

Should Aaron Judge re-sign with the Yankees this offseason, Nestor Cortes believes the outfielder’s contract should come with a new title.

“I think I'm able to say that if he's back here next year, he's our captain, he's the next captain,” Cortes said prior to Game 3 of the American League Championship Series. “We follow everything he does. He leads by example. He's not really a guy that comes out and screams at anybody. But if he has to, that's his job. I think he's earned that right to keep us in check. What allows him to be so great, I feel like, is he's a great baseball player, but he's a better human. He treats everybody the same. He follows up on everybody every day. That's what allows him to be who he is.”

It’s easy to see Cortes’s proclamation becoming a reality if Judge returns to the Yankees. But the outfielder is an impending free agent and will have multiple suitors following an MVP caliber season. Judge slashed .311/.425/.686 with 62 home runs and 131 RBI. His home run total set new single season records for the American League and the Yankees.

Nestor Cortes thinks Aaron Judge will be the Yankees' next captain if he comes back next year:

"We follow everything he does. He leads by example... he's a great baseball player but he's a better human." pic.twitter.com/9OfFbLR6BB

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) October 22, 2022

Judge is hitting .179/.207/.393 with two longballs and three RBI this postseason.

The 30-year-old Judge turned down a seven-year, $213.5 million extension offer from the Yankees hours before Opening Day this year. His spectacular season only increased his value, but it remains to be seen by how much.

The Yankees would miss Judge’s production if he were to sign elsewhere, but Cortes also stressed the value of the slugger’s leadership. Cortes has not shared his captaincy thoughts with Judge, manager Aaron Boone or general manager Brian Cashman, but the pitcher knows his idea has support in New York’s clubhouse.

“I mean, just the way that we play around him and act around him, he's just the guy for it,” Cortes said. “I feel like we follow his steps every time. Like I've said before, he's the last one to leave from the clubhouse on the road, and we don't leave until he leaves. We just follow his act. We follow everything he does. I think he's a perfect example for the game of baseball, for the kids that are coming up and learning from the game.

“Most of the guys in there agree with me. He's the best to do it.”

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• Yankees' Offense Has Disappeared When They Need It Most
• Aaron Boone Says Isiah Kiner-Falefa Should've Been Considered For Gold Glove Award

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