PITTSBURGH — Shortly after the 1,000th sport of Aaron Decide’s profession concluded, a reporter requested Aaron Boone to guage the slugger’s physique of labor up to now.
“You’re doing alright, kid,” Boone jokingly responded after the Yankees’ 9-4 win over the Pirates on Friday. “Keep it up.”
Decide, now within the early phases of his tenth large league season, has put collectively one hell of a résumé. He has gained two MVP Awards — in 2022 and 2024 — a Rookie of the Yr and 4 Silver Sluggers. A six-time All-Star and the American League document holder for longballs in a single season, he now has 321 profession homers after hitting a two-run shot off the Pirates’ Tim Mayza within the seventh inning of Friday’s sport.
That’s 42 extra homers than some other participant has had of their first 1,000 video games, per MLB’s Sarah Langs. It’s additionally the identical quantity Babe Ruth had in his first 1,000 video games with the Yankees.
Decide can also be a .289/.406/.608 hitter with 733 RBI, 502 extra-base hits and a 52.2 fWAR for his profession.
With numbers like that, is the Yankees’ captain already a Corridor of Famer?
“Yes,” Boone stated, matter of truth.
The supervisor then defined that Decide is “one of this generation’s greatest players. I mean, I think it’s a no-brainer.”
Aaron Decide has performed seven video games this season.
Aaron Decide has hit SIX house runs this season! pic.twitter.com/Yx9PQzGix4
Decide, all the time proof against self-adulation, tried to downplay his supervisor’s praise.
“It’s great praise, but I live in the present,” Decide stated. “We got things to do. Got a lot of work to do, so we’ll talk about that in a couple years.”
Requested if the Corridor of Fame is objective of his, Decide added, “Right now, no, because I’m worried about the game we just had. It’s something we’ll talk about down the road.”
Whereas Decide didn’t care to have interaction within the Corridor of Fame discourse, Jazz Chisholm Jr. agreed wholeheartedly with Boone.
“He definitely destroys teams every time. He breaks a lot of hearts out there. It’s great just being able to watch greatness and be behind it and learn from him.”
Oswaldo Cabrera, who had 4 RBI on Friday, additionally discovered himself able to enshrine Decide in Cooperstown.
“He’s the G.O.A.T. He’s the best,” Cabrera stated. “He is one of the best players ever.”
Most HR in first 1,000 video games with Yankees
321 Babe Ruth321 Aaron Judge259 Alex Rodriguez 224 Joe DiMaggio218 Mickey Mantle212 Lou Gehrig
Whereas Decide’s Corridor of Fame prospects grew to become a subject of dialogue after Friday’s sport — which additionally noticed him make a leaping catch into PNC Park’s proper discipline wall — he nonetheless has a protracted strategy to go earlier than he turns into an official candidate.
Solely 32, Decide has a variety of baseball left to play, in addition to a number of milestones he’d like to realize.
Profitable a World Sequence is on the high of the listing after a number of dangerous postseasons, nevertheless it’s arduous to argue towards the concept he’s already deserving of a spot amongst baseball’s immortals.
For now, Decide will attempt to keep sizzling on the plate as he defends his newest MVP title. On Friday, he grew to become the primary participant in MLB historical past with six house runs and 17 RBI by way of his workforce’s first seven video games in a season. On the time of publication, the Astros and Rockies’ whole groups had fewer homers and RBI.
Decide can also be hitting .379 with a 1.558 OPS, leaving his teammates in disbelief.
“It’s incredible, game in, game out, what he’s able to do: change a game with one swing at any moment,” stated newcomer Max Fried, who additionally hyped Decide as a teammate and defender. “I’ve said it before, but I’m really happy that I’m on his team now.”
Cody Bellinger, one other Yankees beginner, shared an identical response lately.
“To see it with your own eyes, it’s special,” Bellinger stated. “He’s the best in the game.”
