Judge Joins the Pups of PAW Patrol
Aaron Judge’s home run exploits are cartoonish, seemingly defying reality with their sheer frequency and distance. Now, so are his baseball cards.
Among the key cards in the 2024 Topps Baseball Update Series is a crossover between Judge and a dedicated bulldog named Rubble alongside his friends Mix, Charger, Wheeler, and Motor. The cards are an extension of the American League’s single-season home-run king’s appearance in Rubble & Crew, Nickelodeon’s beloved PAW Patrol spin-off. These special insert cards are ones that baseball fans of all ages – especially younger fans of the animated series – will be excited to rip.
One card highlights Judge’s real-life dogs, Penny and Gus, rendered in cartoon style, with the cartoon Judge as the dog dad. On the show, Penny was voiced by Judge’s wife, Samantha. The show features Rubble the Bulldog and his crew from Rubble & Crew: Motor, Charger, Mix, and Wheeler. Collectors can look forward to these cards when the 2024 Topps Baseball Update Series is released on October 16.
Builder Cove Home Run Champ
Judge appeared in the episode “The Crew Builds a Stadium.” In the episode, Judge isn’t able to attend a home run derby, so Rubble and his friends help him build a ballpark so he can host the derby in Builder Cove.
This card crossover allows a younger audience, especially those already enamored with the PAW Patrol universe, to become more familiar with major sports figures like Judge in a fun and relatable way. Younger collectors will be as excited to get Rubble’s first Topps card as older collectors are to pull 2024’s top rookies.
Along with Shohei Ohtani, Judge is the modern face of baseball card collecting. In 2024, he continued to add to his resume as the game’s greatest slugger. Judge wrapped up the campaign with his third 50-plus home run season, a feat only one shy of the all-time record shared by Babe Ruth. His 58 home runs in 2024 nearly rivaled his AL-record-breaking 62 in 2022, but that wasn’t all. Judge set career highs in RBIs with 144 and walks with 133, leading the league.
Judge’s Growing Star Appeal
Judge’s consistency at the plate and towering presence have cemented his place in Yankees lore and baseball history. His league and park-adjusted on-base-plus-slugging percentage in 2024 was the greatest ever recorded by a right-handed hitter.
“Judge is the most important player for collectors in the game right now, along with Shohei Ohtani,” said Joe Davis of Got Baseball Cards in Georgia. Now, Judge’s larger-than-life persona extends beyond the field and into the world of collectibles.
The annual Topps Baseball Update Series incorporates players who made their Major League debuts after the season started. The 2024 Topps Update completes the flagship 2024 series with a 350-card base set, including 95 “true” rookie cards. An additional 45 Rookie Debut cards spotlight a player’s first Major League game. This year’s set includes several rookies making their MLB card debut, including Rookie of the Year candidates Paul Skenes, Jackson Holliday, Jackson Merrill, and Jackson Chourio. With these new faces and special cards, such as the Judge and Rubble & Crew collaboration, the 2024 Update is designed to appeal to seasoned collectors and those just starting their hobby journey.
