How Yankees' Aaron Judge aims to emulate Juan Soto's 2025 baserunning in 2026
The Yankees' Aaron Judge is setting his sights on a new challenge this season, inspired by the remarkable baserunning of Juan Soto in 2025.
TAMPA, FLA. — Aaron Judge, the Yankees captain, has always been a force to be reckoned with on the baseball field. After a stellar 2024 season, where he claimed his second consecutive MVP award, Judge is now looking to enhance his game in a different way. He's taking a leaf out of Juan Soto's book, who had an impressive 38 stolen bases in his first season with the Mets in 2025, a stark contrast to his previous seven seasons with the Yankees, where he never managed more than a dozen steals.
But here's where it gets interesting... Judge, known for his power-hitting, is now eyeing up the bases. He's aware that Soto, despite not being a speedster, managed to steal 38 bases in 42 attempts, and he's determined to replicate this success.
And this is the part most people miss... Judge's sprint speed is actually better than Soto's, according to Baseball Savant's analytics. So, he's not lacking in the speed department. In fact, he's setting his sights on stealing more bases than anyone else this season.
But is it realistic? If Judge can emulate Soto's 2025 performance, he could easily reach 40 stolen bases. Or, he might go even further, trying to match Shohei Ohtani's 59 steals in 2025. With a 62-homer season already under his belt, Judge is certainly capable of achieving the first 60/60 in baseball history.
What do you think? Will Judge succeed in his baserunning ambitions? Or will he focus on his power-hitting prowess? Let us know in the comments below!
