The New York Yankees know how uncomfortable arbitration hearings can be: they had a rough one with Dellin Betances, for example, in 2017.
It made little sense for them to go into a room with an arbitrator and try to lower the price of their biggest star, Aaron Judge, by a couple million dollars.
That’s why both parties agreed, on Friday, to a one-year, $19 million contract for the 2022 season.
He wanted $21 million, and the Yankees were offering $17 million.
Both parties were adamant and knew what they wanted, so we had to reach this point, June 24, for them to settle at the midpoint.
“Aaron Judge and the #Yankees settle on $19 million salary for 2022 with $250,000 for winning the AL MVP and $250,000 for World Series MVP,” MLB insider Bob Nightengale tweeted.
Aaron Judge and the #Yankees settle on $19 million salary for 2022 with $250,000 for winning the AL MVP and $250,000 for World Series MVP.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) June 24, 2022
Judge’s Salary For The Season Is Now Settled: How About Long-Term?
Judge’s 2022 salary is now settled: it’s by far the biggest payday of his career.
The really interesting part will come after the season.
The Yankees offered him roughly $30 million per season ($213 million in total) on Opening Day, but he rejected the offer, betting on himself to have a fantastic year and earn a much bigger contract as a free agent.
So far, that decision is paying off: he is hitting .304/.379/.658 with an incredible 27 home runs.
By Wins Above Replacement, he has an outstanding 4.0: a 5.0 season output is considered stellar, and Judge is almost there and we haven’t even completed half of the campaign.
He seems determined to get a life-changing contract, and in the process, he is leading the Yankees to their best start in recent memory.
The Bombers are 52-18, in large part thanks to Judge’s contributions.
He has been phenomenal, and the best may be yet to come.
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