"I didn't expect that" - Aaron Judge reveals challenges of raising daughter Nora with wife Samantha

New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge recently became a father this year. The multi-time American League MVP and his wife, Samantha, welcomed their first child, Nora Jane, on January 27.

In an interview with MLB beat writer Bryan Hoch, the Yankee captain divulged the hurdles he had to face being a first-time dad.

"The first four months, I think it’s just the amount of time you’ve got to change the diapers; that’s the biggest thing. I really didn’t expect that,” the superstar said.

Judge revealed that the diapers gave him the biggest surprise and challenge when dealing with Nora. Nonetheless, he added that he enjoys the chores of being a father, especially if it brings comfort to his daughter and wife.

“I love doing it all. Especially if it helps [Nora], or helps my wife.”

The reigning MVP also shared what his schedule is at home during game days and days off.

“I’ll wake up, go downstairs with her, just kind of hang out. I’ll feed her; my wife will feed her. Really, it’s just me holding her, walking around the apartment. It’s nothing too crazy. We’re pretty chill before game days.”

“Off-days, we’ll kind of get after it a little bit — go around, go to the park, do something cool. If it’s an earlier game, we’ll get a chance to play, do some things like ‘tummy time’ that are important. So, things like that.”

Aaron Judge admits the secret to being centered

In the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple, being the captain of the most successful franchise in MLB history can be quite a daunting task. However, superstar Aaron Judge remains even-keeled due to a very special reason.

"[Nora] definitely calms me,” Judge said. “She’s a calming presence, which is pretty wild. You almost fall asleep when you’re holding her," he added.

The captain divulged that his daughter, Nora, keeps him centered despite the pressure of playing for the Yankees.

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It certainly seems to be working as the 33-year-old leads MLB in hitting, with a .394/.490/.779 line and a 1.269 OPS. He also leads the majors in hits with 98 and the American League in RBIs at 59.

About the author

Daniel Santiago is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. He was drawn towards the sport after the underlying statistics and the analysis surrounding it grabbed his attention.

Daniel particularly enjoys furnishing reports about historic events in baseball and analyzing the game through a statistic-based outlook, based on Fangraphs and Baseball-Reference. This is in line with how he enjoyed watching baseball as a pastime. As a writer, he is very particular about cross-checking from reputable sources and doing his due diligence.

He became a lifelong Hideki Matsui fan after his exploits in the 2009 World Series for the New York Yankees. Among the current generation, Daniel's favorites include Shohei Ohtani and Jung Hoo Lee. Daniel is a huge follower of Asian baseball and both Ohtani and Lee have been in the top echelon of their respective leagues during their time with the NPB and KBO.

His favorite moment as a baseball fan was the final at-bat of the 2023 World Baseball Classic between Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout. He believes there aren't many words to fittingly describe the intensity of the moment.

As an avid sports fan, Daniel watches other sports and Esports when not writing about baseball.

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Edited by Daniel Santiago