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So many words have been expended on Juan Soto’s crosstown move. All pretty understandable and justifiable. After all, this was not New York to Kansas City. It was not for a few million bucks. It was not leaving a historic dud with no recent success. 

Soto became the first high-profile player ever to leave the Yankees for the Mets in his prime, he did so when the Mets won a stunning bidding war with a record 15-year, $765 million deal and he departed a defending AL champion. 

And, of course, so many words were then discharged on everything the Yankees imported to replace Soto. Again, totally valid. Because the Yankees were trying to remain elite in Soto’s aftermath. 

It didn’t exactly make Aaron Judge an afterthought. There are not many 6-foot-8, two-time MVP afterthoughts. But in the swirl of goings and comings, Judge became, well, minimized. Kind of the great piece of furniture in the apartment that most folks just walk by with familiarity.