Remember when Juan Soto stepped up for his first at-bat during the Subway Series finale? It was his first time at Yankee Stadium as a Met, and boos were in unison when his name was announced in the NY Mets’ lineup. They lasted till he made his way to the batter’s box. It seemed like the Yankees’ nation had waited for this day since December, when Soto signed with cross-town rivals.

Those were the loudest boos Soto had ever experienced. Aaron Judge, the Yankees captain and Soto’s former teammate, saw how it all unfolded and he has now reflected on a decision that could have made him the target of Soto-like boos from the Yankees fans.

The thing is, when Judge was coming off his 62-homer performance in 2022, he had offers on the table from the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants as well as the Yankees. Despite all the tempting offers though, his decision was written in pinstripes.

“This is my home. But if I was to look back, and would have signed with the Padres or signed with the Giants, it could be a little different,” Judge said while speaking with USA Today.

Well, the Padres reportedly offered him more than $400 million, while the Giants offered him somewhere $360 million. Judge admitted that a different decision there could have completely changed how things played out.

“I might have been getting booed like Soto, so I’m happy with my decision,” he added. Well, that’s true. Soto is facing relentless pressure right now. Had he been putting up the kind of numbers that Judge has been putting this season, his transition to the Mets would’ve been way smoother.

When it comes to Judge, New York has been a home to him. Choosing the Yankees over the Padres and Giants was a no-brainer. “This is where I always wanted to be, especially after getting drafted here,” he stated.

And as it seems so far, choosing the Yankees was the right decision. Judge’s immediate future looks very promising. Yet, at times he downplays his performance.

Aaron Judge downplayed his impressive stats with intriguing Albert Pujols comparison

In the 2025 season, Judge is leading the league in almost all major stats: batting average (.391), on-base percentage (.485), slugging (.764), and OPS (1.248). With every outing, he’s breaking a new record. He’s the front-runner for MVP, but it’s not at all a big deal for him.

In fact, the Yankees captain recently downplayed his elite stats by drawing a comparison with Albert Pujols. “People bring up stuff to me about stats and seasons and stuff, and I say this doesn’t even compare in my mind to what I saw Pujols doing at Busch Stadium,” he said. Well, Pujols, for 10 consecutive seasons, hit over .300 and 30-plus home runs.

For what it’s worth, it’s not just Pujols’ numbers that stand out for Judge. It’s his effortless control at the plate. According to Judge, Pujols had the ability to control the bat, making the game look easy.

Both Pujols, three-time MVP and Rookie of the Year, and Judge, two-time MVP and Rookie of the Year, have been the most dominant hitter in the league at the peak of their careers. In 2000s, Pujols was in his prime with the St. Louis Cardinals. Right now, Judge is in his prime with the Yankees and he still has a fair bit of fuel left in the tank! Will he keep up the momentum to bag another MVP award? Share your thoughts in the comments below.