New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge on having not won a World Series yet: "It bothers me. I think it bothers the group as well"

The New York Yankees are expected to win, or at least compete for, a World Series trophy every season, and Aaron Judge knows this. Now, as the captain, the responsibility for getting the team there lies with him. Rather fairly or unfairly, the team's success will be directly tied to Judge's legacy in the sport.

The Yankees are the most popular, historic, and successful franchise in MLB history. 13 years without a World Series is not a drought that most fan bases would even notice, let alone bemoan. However, for the Yankees, any year that doesn't end with a championship is regarded as a failure.

Judge was recently asked about his tenure with the Yankees and his lack of World Series success. He responded quite candidly.

"It bothers me. I think it bothers the group as well. Every year that we don't finish what we started, it wears on us in different ways," Aaron Judge said.

This is the response that the team and its fan base want to hear from its leader. Judge is coming off a phenomenal individual season, but the playoff defeat will still sting. Making it to the American League Championship Series only to be swept by the Houston Astros is not the ending they envisioned. Knowing that they are not satisfied with the result is a great comfort to passionate fans.

Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees are poised to be contenders in 2023, but there are significant hurdles

Houston Astros v New York Yankees

The New York Yankees have assembled a tremendous roster of excellent top-end players with solid depth across the board. The AL East is poised to be one of the most competitive once again, with the Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays both looking strong. The Astros are, of course, still the team to beat in the AL.

The New York Yankees will need their trio of sluggers to be at their best this season and provide a consistently excellent offense.

"Stanton. Judge. Rizzo." - SNY Yankees

Aaron Judge proved how dominant he could be in 2022, with a historic offensive season. But when it came down to it, it wasn't enough to lead the team past the Astros.

Coming off a World Series win, the Houston Astros have no interest in giving up their crown without one heck of a fight.

"We've built a legacy. Now, let's cement the dynasty" - Houston Astros

2023 will be an important season for New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge as he looks to etch his name into the history books.