Aaron Judge ready for ‘busy’ Yankees offseason as he wins Roberto Clemente award

PHOENIX — Aaron Judge finally got to the World Series.

It wasn’t the conventional method of entrance for the Yankees slugger, but before Game 3 between the Rangers and Diamondbacks on Monday night Judge was at Chase Field, where he was named winner of the Roberto Clemente award, MLB’s top humanitarian recognition.

Judge was cited for his All Rise Foundation, which started in 2018 and benefits the community in San Joaquin County, Calif., Fresno, Calif., and The Bronx.

Judge became the first Yankees player honored with the award since Derek Jeter in 2009.

Don Baylor (1985) and Ron Guidry (1984) are other Yankees who have won the award.

This season was a grind for both the Yankees and their captain.

Judge sustained a torn ligament in his right big toe that cost him two months and the team finished fourth in the AL East and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

Judge indicated he spoke to owner Hal Steinbrenner a day earlier, but declined to provide specifics of what was discussed.

“We are going to talk again in person when I get back to New York, but we’re working hard — we have got a busy offseason,” Judge said.

Free agency doesn’t begin until after the World Series, but the team has been free to implement changes in the front office and coaching staff.

Judge was asked if he was surprised there haven’t been any changes yet.

“I think they are working on that,” Judge said. “It’s a tough time, especially with the World Series going on, but I think once we get past this and through the offseason is when we’re going to see bigger moves. We have still got a lot of time, but I know they are busy working. Literally since our season ended I know they have been working down there in Tampa. They are working hard and I am looking forward to getting some updates.”

Judge said he wanted to keep private the theme of his conversations with Steinbrenner, but the ultimate goal is carving a path to end a World Series drought that dates to 2009.

“We haven’t made it to the big dance in quite a few years, so we have got some work to do,” Judge said. “Especially even on the players’ side — we have got a lot of work to do on the players’ side. I am looking forward to hopefully getting us back to the promised land with some good ones.”

Last year Judge broke Roger Maris’ single-season American League record by smashing 62 homers.

In 106 games this season he owned a .267/.606/.613 slash line with 37 homers and 75 RBIs.

Judge said he was working out with his wife Samantha at home when he received a phone call from Yankees public relations chief Jason Zillo informing him he had won the Clemente award.

“He said, ‘You got a minute, this is very important,’ ” Judge said. “I was like, ‘Is there a trade going on or something?’ He told me I had won the Roberto Clemente award, and I was speechless.”