Aaron Judge Eyes Bigger Impact on the Basepaths in 2026: “Baserunning’s on My Mind”
TAMPA, Fla. - Aaron Judge isn’t one to obsess over numbers during the grind of a season. But after another MVP campaign-his second straight and third in four years-it’s hard to ignore just how complete his game has become. And yet, as spring training opens in Tampa, Judge has his sights set on an area of his game that’s flown under the radar: baserunning.
It’s not a stretch to say Judge is looking to evolve into a more dangerous threat on the bases in 2026. He’s taking a page out of Juan Soto’s surprising 2025 season-where Soto swiped 38 bags in 42 attempts after stealing just seven the year before in the Bronx. For a guy who’s never been known for his speed (Judge, in fact, has a faster sprint speed than Soto, according to Baseball Savant), that sudden jump in steals opened eyes across the league.
“Definitely, baserunning’s on my mind this year a lot,” Judge said after Monday’s workout. “I saw a lot of guys around the league with 40 or 30 (stolen) bases that you don’t normally expect to be running that much.”
He’s not wrong. The stolen base renaissance isn’t just for burners anymore.
Josh Naylor-yes, that Josh Naylor-stole 30 bags last season while being caught just twice. That’s coming from a player whose sprint speed ranks in the bottom 3% of the league.
Before 2025, he had 25 career steals over six seasons. Then there’s Trevor Story, who went 31-for-32 on the basepaths for Boston, blowing past his previous career high of 27 set back in 2018.
Luis Robert Jr. jumped from a previous high of 23 steals to 33 last year with the White Sox. Oneil Cruz took a similar leap, going from 22 to 38.
And Jose Ramirez? He’s posted back-to-back seasons of 41 and 44 steals after never reaching 30 in his first 11 years.
So when Judge says he’s watching what’s happening around the league, it’s clear he’s not just talking. He’s studying the trends-and he’s ready to be part of the next wave.
Judge stole 12 bases on 17 attempts in 2025. His career-high is 16, set back in 2022.
Across his first nine seasons, he’s averaged just over six steals per year. But with the way the game has shifted, that could be changing.
“Especially with how the game’s changed with the pickoffs and the pitch clock, I think that’s one way that I can utilize some of my skills a little bit more getting into scoring position,” Judge said.
He’s referring to the 2023 rule changes-most notably, the limit on pitcher pickoff attempts (just two per plate appearance) and the increase in base size from 15 to 18 inches. That change shaved 4.5 inches off the distance between bases, and that’s more than enough to tip the scales in favor of aggressive baserunners.
Judge isn’t just looking for extra bags for the sake of stat-padding. It’s about creating more scoring opportunities in what might be the most dangerous lineup in baseball.
He led the league in on-base percentage (.457) last season-nearly 60 points higher than the next best mark, George Springer’s .399. He was also second in walks and fourth in hits.
Simply put, he’s on base a lot. And if he can turn those base hits and free passes into doubles without swinging the bat, the Yankees’ offense becomes even more terrifying.
“With the lineup we have, probably the best in all of baseball last year, if I can find a way to get myself in scoring position, if they’re going to walk me … that’s when good things can happen,” Judge said.
The question now is: what’s realistic for Judge on the basepaths?
If Soto can jump to 38 steals, there’s no reason to think Judge can’t push toward 40. And if he’s really feeling ambitious, there’s always the Shohei Ohtani benchmark. Ohtani made history in 2025 by becoming the first member of the 50/50 club-54 homers and 59 steals in his debut season with the Dodgers.
Judge, of course, already has a 62-homer season under his belt. So naturally, someone had to ask: could we see a 60/60 season?
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Judge said with a laugh.
Maybe not. But with the way the game is evolving-and the way Judge continues to add new layers to his already elite skill set-don’t be surprised if he turns heads on the basepaths in 2026.
He’s already one of the most complete players in the game. Now, he’s looking to be one of the most dynamic, too.