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Evidence that Aaron Judge was more valuable to Yankees than Jose Altuve was to Astros.

After all, without Judge's astonishing power show early in the first couple of months, the Yankees never would have gotten off to the 21-9 start that instilled a confident vibe in the clubhouse and changed everything about their season.

Indeed, without Judge’s production, and the promise of more, GM Brian Cashman almost certainly wouldn’t have been as willing to deal prospects for reinforcements come July that played such an important role for the Yankees down the stretch.

Not that other Yankees weren’t vitally important as well, especially Didi Gregorius, but to some degree the Yankees’ season correlated with Judge’s ups and downs. In April and September they were a combined 35-16, playing their best baseball with the big guy’s hot bat leading the way.

And while the bullpen’s struggles derailed them at times through the middle of the season, their 28-27 record in July and August was owed largely to his second-half slump.

Finally, Judge pulled out of that slump to hit 15 home runs in September, raising his total to 52 and helping the Yankees push the Red Sox to the second-to-last day of the season in the AL East race.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/judge-valuable-yankees-altuve-astros-article-1.3638643