Despite Aaron Judge’s elite bat, Max Fried names another Yankees teammate as scariest hitter

New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge is one of the scariest hitters in the league but not the scariest on the team, according to his Yankees teammate Max Fried.

Aaron Judge, a two-time American League MVP, has been a nightmare for pitchers over the last few years. However, Max Fried, who joined the Yankees in the offseason, claimed the reigning AL MVP isn't the scariest hitter he has faced.

The All-Star pitcher, who has faced several elite hitters since his MLB debut in 2017, named veteran slugger Giancarlo Stanton as the scariest hitter he has ever faced.

“Giancarlo (Stanton) was probably the scariest guy that I’ve ever faced,” Fried said. “I’ve been on the mound and all I could think was, just please don’t hit it back at me. Because when he hits the ball, it’s just way too hard.”

Fried made the admission during his interaction with Carmine and Vincent Gagliano at the Yankees’ annual HOPE Week celebration. The young Yankees fans are battling Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Giancarlo Stanton's power is no secret to anyone as the All-Star slugger has launched several fearsome hits in his career. Fried also acknowledged Aaron Judge, saying "he’s definitely up there," among the scariest hitters in the game.

Veteran slugger sends warning to teams over Aaron Judge's form

Aaron Judge has 26 home runs this season, the second most in the league behind Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh. However, the Yankees captain has had a few quiet games, contributing to the Yankees' six-game losing streak heading into Thursday's game against the Los Angeles Angels.

Judge went 1-for-3 on Thursday, drawing a walk and driving in a run for the team in a 7-3 win. Despite his underwhelming week, veteran slugger Paul Goldschmidt sent a warning to opposition teams.

"He’s so good. He’s the best I’ve ever seen,” Goldschmidt said of Judge. “Regardless of if he’s had a bad game or two in a row, he’s going to be the same guy. He’s going to go out there and compete, and he’s always got a chance to leave the yard. When he gets hot, watch out.”

The Yankees ended their losing skid with a much-needed win on Thursday as Trent Grisham and Paul Goldschmidt went back-to-back for a three-run rally in the second inning.

Edited by Chaitanya Prakash