What I’ve Learned: Aaron Judge

Aaron Judge is one of those athletes your kids will tell their grandkids about. The Yankees right fielder stands among the greatest players of his generation and, at thirty-four, he’s already cemented himself in the franchise’s storied history. Last year he achieved a different kind of milestone—he became a dad for the first time. How did he reach this point in his career and life, and what hard-earned lessons has he learned along the way? On Monday, June 15, just a few days before Father’s Day, Esquire editor in chief Michael Sebastian interviewed Judge in front of fifty people inside the Ralph Lauren store in Manhattan. Judge, who is the face of Ralph Lauren’s Polo 67 fragrance, talked about triumph and failure, his legacy, the Knicks, fatherhood, and more. The conversation was adapted into the story below, presented as Aaron Judge in his own words.