Boston – Aaron Judge has recently taken on quite a few roles: Captain, MVP, and recognized as the top batter in baseball.
But which role is he the proudest of?
Being Nora’s dad.
His nearly five-month-old daughter will be in the stands at Fenway Park this Sunday, witnessing her father’s First Father’s Day. By now, she’s already been to several Yankees games with her mom, Sam, but this occasion feels particularly special, even if she’s not fully aware yet.
“I just want to be like my father,” Judge expressed. “I want to share important life lessons with my daughter and show her the value of hard work and those little things. Honestly, this is the biggest title I could have—being a dad. It’s really special.”
He added, “She’s attended a lot of games. She enjoys it. Well, she usually sleeps through half of them, but she’s there.”
During one of the best starts to a season in baseball history, many have speculated about Judge’s impressive performance this year.
One possible explanation?
Perhaps it’s the influence of fatherhood.
As of Saturday, he’s batting .390 with an OPS of 1.265 and has hit 26 home runs in just 68 games. Maybe Nora has something to do with it.
This season, the balance between his time on and off the field seems more manageable, allowing Judge to leave the game behind when he goes home.
So far, the season hasn’t had too many rough patches, but when they do, he feels like he can bounce back quicker.
“It makes everything a bit easier. It’s not always simple, whether I go 4 for 4 or 0 for 4; she greets me with the same smile no matter what happens,” Judge noted. “That definitely helps me get through tough days so I can focus on enjoying every moment with her.”
Judge shared that his daughter is already adjusting to his baseball schedule, staying up late until he returns from games.
She often sleeps in the morning, and he makes it a point to play with her before heading out to Yankee Stadium.
As a result, he finds himself dining out less and playing fewer video games.
Traveling without his wife and daughter has also become more challenging.
“I struggle to sleep on the road,” he admitted. “I’m so used to having them there for comfort. Without them, I find myself imagining they’re right beside me at night.”
Still, they remain close to his heart, even when he’s on the field.
Judge joked about how his teammates, who have little ones, can’t stop sharing photos, and now he’s fallen into that same routine.
“I used to find it a bit annoying when I was the one posting pictures of our baby to everyone,” he laughed. “I’ve become that person.”
Judge observed that many in the Yankees clubhouse are also first-time fathers. New additions like Trent Grisham, Devin Williams, and Tim Hill have joined the mix.
“We chat about all sorts of things, like ‘What’s your secret for getting them to sleep through the night? Do you have any tips for me?'” he said. “It’s neat that we can share those experiences.”
