Aaron Judge just ended 2017 Andrew Benintendi debate with one legendary statline

Back in 2017, a comparison was made between two of the best rookie players in baseball- Andrew Benintendi of the Boston Red Sox and Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees. At that time, one well-known columnist chose Benintendi over Judge for the future.

Eight years later, the numbers and career paths show a very different picture.

Aaron Judge proves 2017 critics wrong with historic rise over Andrew Benintendi

On August 21, 2017, a column published in The Boston Globe favored Andrew Benintendi over Aaron Judge as the better long-term pick. The writer pointed to their head-to-head matchups that season. In their first 15 games against each other, Benintendi had better results: 4 home runs and 12 RBIs, while Judge hit just .155 with 1 home run and 2 RBIs against the Red Sox.

Benintendi was thought to be a powerful all-round performer at the time. During the 2018 ALCS versus the Houston Astros, he had already made a significant contribution by making a critical catch that enabled the Red Sox to win the series and afterward the World Series. Boston had Aaron Judge five seasons before he was dealt to the Kansas City Royals in February 2021. In 2022, he was subsequently chosen to be an All-Star.

Benintendi inked a five-year, $75 million contract with the Chicago White Sox in 2023. That season turned bad, though, as the club lost 121 games. Although not quite elite, Benintendi is a good hitter with a career average of .269 as of the moment.Also Read: Aaron Judge Breaks Century-Old Unbelievable Record Beating Mantle Gehrig And Hornsby In Epic Chase

Aaron Judge’s rise to greatness over Andrew Benintendi

Aaron Judge, meanwhile, has developed into of the most well-known players in baseball. The Yankees' captain, two-time MVP, and six-time All-Star is presently 33 years old.

Breaking the American League record, he hit 62 home runs in 2022. In 2023, he had 58 home runs, 144 RBIs, and a.322 average. Leading the league in several areas, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging, and total bases, Judge is set to do so in 2025. He is on course to have the greatest slugging season since Babe Ruth as of June. Judge honestly accepted culpability and vowed to bounce back stronger even after a critical mistake in Game 5 of the 2024 World Series.