This is why you pay your stars. Aaron Judge is a one-man wrecking crew. He put the Yankees on his very broad shoulders and snatched victory out of the jaws of defeat.

Down two games to none and down 6-1 in Game 3, the Yankees came storming back on the Blue Jays. All Judge did was go 3-for-4 with four RBIs, including the dramatic three-run homer that hit the foul pole but tied the game a 6-6, on their way to a 9-6 victory.

On the Blue Jays side, their star Vladamir Gurrero Jr slugged a two-run homer in the first, going 2-for-4 in the game.

In the three games of this series so far, Aaron Judge is 7-for 11, batting .636 with a .714 on-base percentage, five RBIs, and an unreal 1.805 OPS. Guerrero is 8-for-13, batting .615, with eight RBIs, a .600 OBP, and a 1.908 OPS.

Granted, it doesn’t always happen that your highly paid superstars dominate in the post season. But it sure helps. Corey Seager won the World Series MVP for the Rangers in 2023. Superstars earn superstar salaries for a reason. 

This has been a bit of food for thought as the Rangers go into the offseason looking to shed payroll instead of adding. Where would the Yankees be had they let Judge get away in free agency a few years ago? Where would Toronto be without Vlad?

Most likely the same place the Rangers will be if they move on from Corey Seager and his well-earned salary. 

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