Aaron Judge is back for the Yankees. After not playing since May 31, the three-time MVP was activated from the 60-day injured list Monday night and penciled in as the right fielder, batting third, for the Yankees' opener against the Rockies in the Bronx on Tuesday night.
Few would argue about the three-time MVP’s return being greatly impactful on the Bronx Bombers, but just how impactful are we talking?
Former National League MVP Joey Votto joined MLB Now on Tuesday to explain why he thinks Judge is not only the “most important player in Major League Baseball” but also the greatest hitter of all time.
Judge, 34, owns a career 176 wRC+ -- a stat that measures overall offensive production on a 100-point scale -- in 11 seasons. That places him third among big leaguers all time, behind only Babe Ruth and Ted Williams and just ahead of Barry Bonds.
Votto argued that’s not even enough to display Judge’s greatness.
“If you put Aaron Judge in any of those eras, I don't think it would be even close in terms of who's the most dominant hitter,” Votto said. “The modern game, the 2026 game, is so much more difficult and is far more demanding physically.”
Votto added that Yankee Stadium’s dimensions also detract slightly from Judge’s skill set. Notably, the Yankee captain had consecutive 50-homer seasons before this year’s missed time.
“Aaron does it at a ballpark that is not fair to him. If he was in a smaller ballpark or even a neutral ballpark, he would very easily have 70, 75, 80 home runs,” Votto said. “He happens to hit pull-side homers in a ballpark that's cavernous for a right-handed pull hitter.
“So he's, for me, very clearly the best hitter right now, and I would argue he's the best hitter of all time.”
Judge will rejoin the Yankees with a shot at the AL East title (four games behind the Rays) and a lead on the top Wild Card spot in the American League (two games ahead of the Red Sox). They also have an important three-game series with the Rays to look forward to from Sept. 22-24.
When Judge went down at the end of May, the Yankees were just 1 1/2 games behind the Rays in the division and were fourth in runs scored in MLB. Since June 1, they’re tied for 26th in runs scored.
“I was on NBC [for Sunday Night Baseball] and I said that the Yankees had a solid lineup,” Votto said. “I cannot believe how impactful he is for that New York Yankees lineup and how the team just does not go without him in the center of it.”
Judge is returning from a rib stress fracture without ramping up in a Minor League rehab assignment. Perhaps it will take time for him to shake off rust -- like Votto said happened for him in a similar situation in 2012 -- but No. 99 is back, and that’s good news for New York.
“Aaron Judge is the most important player in Major League Baseball,” Votto said. “If he doesn't come back, the Yankees I don't think stand any chance going forward. Certainly not this year.”