Great rivalries don’t have to be built on hatred. Aaron Judge exemplifies that.
ESPN’s Buster Olney asked Judge ahead of this week’s Yankees vs. Red Sox series in New York which Boston player he loves to compete against.
“(Xander) Bogaerts and (Rafael) Devers,” the Yankees outfielder said. “Those two over there are doing something special this year, and have been doing something special for quite a few years. They bring energy. They have fun, and I just love competing against them.”
In such a competitive environment, it is unique to see Judge dishing out compliments to his opponents before they square off. One might expect some trash talk or bad blood.
But Judge instead took a positive approach to the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry, suggesting there’s a great deal of mutual respect between some members of the American League East foes.
