Aaron Judge Says He Had Brett Gardner and His Late Teen Son Miller 'on His Mind' During Yankees Opening Day

New York Yankees star Aaron Judge honored the death of former Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner’s late son Miller during Opening Day on Thursday, March 27.

Miller suddenly fell ill on a family vacation in Costa Rica and died on Friday, March 21. He was 14.

Before the Yankees’ game against the Milwaukee Brewers, the Yankees honored Miller with a moment of silence. After the Yankees clinched their home opener, Judge, the team captain, told reporters in a postgame press conference that Gardner and his family have been “on his mind,” per YESNetwork.

Related: Brett Gardner’s Late Son Miller Honored by the Yankees on Opening Day

Judge, 32, said after Miller died, players on various MLB teams texted and called him asking him what they should do. He explained there was an outpouring of support “because of the way that Brett impacted all of our lives.”

“He may not have been the big superstar with all the All-Stars and MVPs and this and that,” Judge said. “But this guy was a leader of all of us. A second dad to some guys.”

“He poured everything into every single guy,” he continued. “If we were having a tough time, he was always there for you to be someone to lean on, someone to joke on. His family, they’ve all been on my mind.”

“It’s been devastating,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said, per The New York Post.

“As much as the excitement of today, there’s no question we’ll be playing with heavy hearts today and throughout the year and playing with Miller in mind,” Boone, 52, continued. “I think we can all imagine how difficult that is right now for the Gardner family.”

Related: New York Yankees Support Teammate Brett Gardner After His Son’s Death at Age 14: ‘Words Feel Insignificant and Insufficient’

Yankees fans chanted his name during the traditional roll call at the top of the first inning. Then, Judge made a special tribute to Brett by imitating the retired player’s flex move after the chanting, a tribute Judge has done in the years since Brett retired.

Brett spent his entire 14-year career with the Yankees before retiring in 2021 and was a member of the 2009 World Series-winning squad.

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On March 23, the official Yankees X account shared a statement from Brett and his wife, Jessica Gardner, announcing that their son died unexpectedly during a getaway with his family. The cause of death has not yet been determined and the investigation is still ongoing.

“With heavy hearts, we are saddened to announce the passing of our youngest son, Miller,” the statement began. “He was 14 years old and has left us far too soon after falling ill along with several other family members while on vacation.”

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