Even New York media are turning on Aaron Judge and Red Sox fans are loving it

Boston Red Sox fans will have their eyes on the World Baseball Classic championship tonight, as five players from their favorite team — Roman Anthony, Garrett Whitlock, Wilyer Abreu, Willson Contreras and Ranger Suárez — will compete for the title. New York Yankees fans will also be watching to see their captain and captain of Team USA, Aaron Judge, attempt to lead the squad to victory over a slugging Venezuela side.

The atmosphere at the WBC has been electric for fans in person and on their couches, as well as the players. Judge agrees, and said that the atmosphere in the games is "bigger and better" than the World Series and that "there's nothing like" the passion WBC fans have.

Some New Yorkers, and even media members, have taken offense to the comments. Meanwhile, Sox fans are laughing at the sensitivity as Anthony and Abreu crush game-winning homers.

"The best and most successful franchise in all of sports, the Yankees, the pinstripes, all the championships, you're the captain of that team, and the passion that the Yankee fans showed at the World Series wasn't up to snuff and par with the crowd here and the one against Mexico?" said Tommy Lugauer (a Mets fan, by the way) on WFAN, a New York-area radio station.

New York fans, media criticize Aaron Judge for complimenting World Baseball Classic atmosphere as Red Sox fans laugh

First and foremost, Judge's baseball career was merely a twinkle in his eye when the Yankees were the most successful franchise in sports over two decades ago. He didn't play any part in that run which is firmly in the past, and he shouldn't be held solely responsible for upholding that culture.

Secondly, Yankees fans were pretty quiet by the time the 2024 World Series made it from Los Angeles to New York, the only World Series Judge has ever played in. The Dodgers managed a five-game win, but it was Judge and the Yankees' own mistakes that silenced the crowd in the Bronx on Halloween night nearly a year and a half ago.

Representing one's country in an international tournament gives a sport entirely new stakes as players suit up for something bigger than themselves and the team that represents one city in one state among 49 others. The Latin American teams have no problem grasping this — Team Dominican Republic and Team Venezuela seemingly have impeccable chemistry and plenty of fun in the dugout, on the field and in the clubhouse, fueled by the novel atmosphere of an international tournament. In comparison, Team USA seems stuffy and corporate, just as Yankees fans prefer.

Abreu's three-run homer that lifted Venezuela over the reigning champion Team Japan to advance to the semifinal match was one of the loudest baseball moments fans had heard in a long time. It's not a dig for Judge to say that the atmosphere at WBC games is better, it's just an observation, and a pretty obvious one. Don't be offended by players having fun in the tournament, have fun with them.