New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge is in the last year of arbitration eligibility, meaning that he will hit free agency after the season.
He will make around $17.1 million in 2022, according to salary projections.
He will hit the market after the World Series, unless the Yankees reach an extension with him… before the start of the 2022 campaign.
Per MLB.com’s beat writer for the Yankees, Bryan Hoch, “Judge said it would be ‘ideal’ to finalize any contract talks before Opening Day. ‘If not, we’ll talk after the season.'”
Aaron Judge said it would be “ideal” to finalize any contract talks before Opening Day. “If not, we’ll talk after the season.”
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) March 15, 2022
It’s not the first time a player has postponed extension talks after the season ends: first, they put some pressure on the team to offer them a good deal during spring training, and second, they avoid any contract-related distractions for the player.
Many outside observers refuse to believe a player can be distracted by in-season negotiations for a new deal, but it’s easy to imagine: who wouldn’t think long and hard at signing a contract that could change one’s life?
He Wants To Be A Yankee For Life
Judge has repeatedly said he wants to be a Yankee for life: in fact, he is the perfect candidate to be the team’s captain soon if he elects to stay for the long-term.
But the Yankees have had years to finish an extension, and the two sides haven’t been able to reach an agreement, suggesting that they haven’t quite established his market value.
In any case, Judge is poised for a big season in 2022: last year, he slashed .287/.373/.544 with 39 home runs and 98 RBI.
Most importantly, he was healthy enough to play 148 of the 162 games, one of the primary concerns associated to the organization committing millions of dollars to him in the future.
Either Judge signs an extension in the next three weeks, or he will be a free agent after the season.
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