The New York Yankees waived Harrison Bader, now a Cincinnati Red, and called up the youngsters. The proverbial white flag has been waved with New York poised to miss the postseason for the first time since 2017. Fangraphs gives them a 0.3% chance of making the postseason (an improvement, considering they've been as low as 0.1%).

So, why tune in any more if you're a fan of the pinstripes? Well, beyond just being loyal to the bitter end, the recent call-ups of Austin Wells and Jasson Dominguez (to add to youngsters like Anthony Volpe and Everson Pereira already on the roster) add some excitement. Though 2023 has been miserable, at least fans can look forward to years ahead, with these players bringing a substantial amount of excitement to the table.

Those cheering on the youngsters are joined by one Aaron Judge.

Aaron Judge made a clear distinction between new Yankees rookies and old ones

Following electric performances from the recent call-ups, pitcher Luis Severino compared the feel to what it was like when Gary Sanchez got called up in 2016 and contributed to a similar turnaround.

Aaron Judge made it very clear that these players are different from Sanchez in one key way, saying, "I think they're better," in response.

A good catch from Judge, considering early comparisons to Sanchez might be somewhat deflating for the young Yankees. Sanchez had an extremely hot start with the team but his time ended rather unceremoniously. His performance had declined precipitously, and he was traded before the 2022 season. This year he was DFA's by the Mets after battling back up through the minor leagues.

These young players certainly hope they won't be in such a predicament seven years into their big-league careers.

Yankees fans hope Judge is right. These players better be better than Sanchez was. If they're not, hope might be lost on the next decade of competitive baseball in the Bronx.