Aaron Judge calls Mike Trout the 'greatest of all-time'

The Yankees star heaps praise on the Angels legend despite his recent decline.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 6:18am

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A fractured, geometric painting depicting the dynamic action of a baseball game, with the players' forms abstracted into angular shapes and the ball and bats represented as dynamic lines cutting through the composition.Two baseball superstars, Mike Trout and Aaron Judge, face off in a high-scoring game that showcases the sport's timeless appeal through a cubist lens.Los Angeles Today

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge has declared Los Angeles Angels superstar Mike Trout as the 'greatest of all-time' in baseball, despite Trout's recent injury struggles and decline in production over the past few seasons. Judge's comments came after the two stars faced off in a high-scoring game between their teams.

Why it matters

Trout's status as one of the all-time greats in MLB history is well-established, having put up historically great numbers for the first decade of his career. Even as he enters the back-end of his career dealing with injuries, the recognition from a current superstar like Judge reinforces Trout's legacy and standing among the best players to ever play the game.

The details

In a game on Monday night where the Yankees defeated the Angels 11-10, Judge heaped praise on Trout, saying 'He's the greatest. He's the greatest of all-time. He's been fun to watch his whole career. Coming up at such a young age and instantly putting yourself on top of the list, it's special.' While Trout's production has declined in recent years due to injuries, he still managed to hit two home runs in the losing effort, and has an OPS of .883 on the season so far.

  • The comments from Aaron Judge came after the Yankees-Angels game on Monday, April 14, 2026.
  • Over the past three seasons from 2023-2025, Mike Trout has accumulated just 5.6 fWAR, including only 1.8 fWAR in 2025 despite playing in 130 games.

The players

Mike Trout

A future Hall of Fame outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels, considered by many to be one of the greatest players in MLB history despite his recent decline due to injuries.

Aaron Judge

A star outfielder for the New York Yankees who has emerged as one of the best players in baseball in his own right, and who has now heaped praise on Mike Trout as the 'greatest of all-time'.

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What they’re saying

“He's the greatest. He's the greatest of all-time. He's been fun to watch his whole career. Coming up at such a young age and instantly putting yourself on top of the list, it's special.”

— Aaron Judge, New York Yankees Outfielder

The takeaway

Despite his recent decline, Mike Trout's status as one of the all-time greats in MLB history has been cemented, as evidenced by the high praise from current superstar Aaron Judge. Trout's historic first decade in the league has solidified his legacy, and even as he enters the latter stages of his career, his impact on the game will be felt for years to come.