Skip to content

Stanton: Judge not satisfied with last season, won't suffer sophomore slump

Reinhold Matay / USA TODAY Sports

Giancarlo Stanton believes Aaron Judge has the mentality to be great.

The reigning National League MVP has kept a close eye on his teammate throughout their first spring training together with the New York Yankees, and believes Judge won't become complacent after coming off a record-setting rookie season.

"He's not satisfied with last year, you could tell that," Stanton told reporters, according to Mike Mazzeo of the New York Daily News. "He wants more and more and to get better, which is exactly what you need after a season like that - a that's not enough attitude."

Stanton knows all about managing big expectations and adversity. He signed the richest contract in sports history (13-year, $325-million) in 2014 and battled injury issues before finally winning his first MVP award last season.

Judge is coming off a year in which he bashed his name among Yankee legends en route to winning the AL Rookie of the Year, finishing runner-up in AL MVP voting. He is just the fifth player in Yankees history to hit 50 homers in a season - joining Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, and Alex Rodriguez - and set the all-time rookie home run record. When you hit yourself among those greats, the expectations become enormous.

While Stanton has yet to get a real taste of what playing in New York is like and the pressure it can cause, Judge has already lived it. And being able to handle things on and off the field in New York is what Stanton believes makes Judge a sure bet to continuously be among the league's elite players.

"I think he'll be fine. He's got a good grip on the outside noise compared to inside the clubhouse and in between the lines," Stanton said, "I think he'll be fine."

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox