Yankees superstar Aaron Judge is making a big impact with his jersey number choice. But his choice of having three numbers on him at Pittsburgh on September 15 has left MLB fans amused and curious.
Aaron Judge has been nominated for the Roberto Clemente Award, which recognizes his contributions through the All-Rise Foundation. Interestingly, September 15 also marked Roberto Clemente Day, a day that pays tribute to the baseball legend who transformed the idea of giving back in MLB. While honoring the Pirates’ icon in his own unique manner, the Yankees’ power hitter, Aaron Judge, got a bit creative with some numbers.
The New York Yankees are currently away, playing against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Yankees had an unexpected 7-5 victory in the first game against the Pirates, and they find themselves unexpectedly back in contention for the Wild Card. Yet the standout player in this game was still the Yankees’ captain, Aaron Judge.
Fans saw Aaron Judge wearing three numbers
Aaron Judge piqued the interest of fans when he chose to don the number ’99’ as a big leaguer. Typically, high jersey numbers are assigned to minor league players who do not have a strong chance of reaching the major leagues. However, the Yankees’ outfielder has now become closely associated with his jersey number, and he decided to part ways with it recently.
On September 15th, in honor of the occasion, Aaron Judge chose to wear a ’21’ jersey as a tribute to Clemente. He also sported custom black and yellow Air Jordan cleats. However, it was pointed out by Talkin’ Yanks that his usual ’99’ was still present on his arm brace, and the mystery of the ’66’ belt remained unsolved.
The belt mystery initially surfaced in April 2023, back when the New York Yankees had high hopes, and Judge was injury-free. He had just won the AL MVP award for hitting 62 home runs, and at the beginning of the season, his belt displayed the number ’66.’ People wondered if it symbolized the number of home runs he aimed to hit that year, or if he was just wearing his belt upside down.
Perhaps it had a different meaning altogether. The puzzle remains unsolved, and Aaron Judge hasn’t addressed it. But one thing is clear – the three different numbers on his jersey have certainly sparked a lot of comments from fans.
Fan reactions to the unusual belt
The Yankees typically have strict grooming policies that don’t leave much room for players to express their individual style. Yet Aaron Judge always manages to find a way to add his personal touch. And observant fans never fail to notice it.
With this unique three-number approach, fans of the Yankees now have a new way to refer to their beloved captain. Let’s look at the following tweets:
One of them called him “A man of many layers.”
With the number ’66’ in the mix, it’s hard to ignore the Star Wars connection. In the Star Wars universe, Order 66 was the secret command used to eliminate the Jedis.
Another reference was to ‘Higgy,’ which is the nickname for catcher Kyle Higashioka, who also wears the number ’66’ on his jersey.
Aaron Judge stands out with his unique style! Voting for the Roberto Clemente Award will remain open until October 1st, and Yankees fans have the opportunity to cast their votes for their captain.
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