Judge is just one of the young players Manfred has mentioned as possibly being the face of MLBGETTY IMAGES
There was talk last year of Yankees RF Aaron Judge being positioned to become the next face of baseball, but MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred now believes Judge "faces stiff competition," according to Kevin Kernan of the N.Y. POST. Manfred said Judge is "part of a group of young players" taking the league by storm, but the "only problem with identifying any one of them right now is there are so many." Manfred: "I talked about Judge last year. Everybody was all excited about it and then [Braves LF Ronald Acuña Jr.] comes and then [Nationals LF Juan Soto]. It seems like every year we have a new one to add to that list of great young players. It is a very fortunate time for the game in terms of the quality of the young talent that is coming into the game." Meanwhile, Manfred said that this was a "good season of competitive balance for baseball" with teams like the A's, with the league's lowest Opening Day payroll, making the postseason. Manfred: "The most important thing for us over the long haul is that teams in markets of all sizes feel like they have a chance to win. If you are in a smaller market you see what Milwaukee did all season long, that's a nice thing" (N.Y. POST, 10/3).
PROCESS STILL ONGOING: Manfred yesterday said that MLB is "going 'day by day' in its investigation of domestic violence charges" against Cubs SS Addison Russell, who "remains on administrative leave" after his wife alleged emotional and physical abuse by him during their marriage (Chicago DAILY HERALD, 10/3).
