Yankee Players Call Out Yankee Fans: “Brutal”

Yankee Stadium is often cited as one of the toughest places to play in the big leagues. Usually, however, that's referring to the opposing team. In this year's playoffs, however, it's Yankees players who are now complaining about the Stadium fans. 

SNY's Andy Martino reports that "more than one Yankee player has told his agent this week that playing at the Stadium last weekend was an unusually brutal experience."

Multiple Yankees players said it was an “unusually brutal experience” to play at Yankee Stadium in the ALCS, per @martinonyc

They were especially surprised that fans booed Aaron Judge pic.twitter.com/u9CEjur7hz

— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) October 26, 2022

The Yankees were swept in four straight by the hated Houston Astros in the ALCS, the last two of those games played in the Bronx. 

Even franchise icon Aaron Judge—he of the newly-minted American League single-season crown of 62 home runs—wasn't able to escape the boo-birds at Yankee Stadium. Many of his teammates couldn't believe it.

This certainly doesn't bode well for Judge's impending free agency. As Martino puts it, after getting booed at home, "why wouldn’t you prefer sunny Los Angeles or familiar San Francisco? We reported earlier today that the Giants are said to have an inside track on Judge at this point. 

Martino reports that "the team is taken aback by the level of negativity hitting them after a division title and 99-win season. Those feelings could have real consequences for the roster."

Even Mr. October, Yankee legend Reggie Jackson admitted this week that "the pinstripes get heavy sometimes."

Rival teams and players see it too. But with free agency lying ahead, for Judge and others around the league, "player reaction to the toxicity poses a tangible problem" and the organization knows it. 

Photo: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports