The New York Yankees failed to extend Aaron Judge over the years, and are now suffering the consequences.
The slugger had an all-time season and hit 62 home runs with a .311 batting average.
Those are video-game numbers, brought to real life by Judge, who rejected a $213.5 million deal over seven years to test free agency.
That was before his record-breaking season.
It is now believed that his price tag could go all the way up to the $310-$320 million range.
In other words, Judge may have made himself an extra $100 million with what he did in 2022.
Not too shabby for a year’s work, huh?
Judge is a free agent now, and is able and open to hear proposals from other teams, not just the Yankees.
New York Is Doing Its Part Of The Deal
New York is confident they can retain him, however.
“From last night: Brian Cashman said the Yankees have made an updated offer to Aaron Judge, who turned down a $213.5 million extension before Opening Day. ‘It’s in real time, so we’re on the clock,’ Cashman said. ‘We’re certainly not going to mess around,’” Yankees insider Bryan Hoch tweeted.
From last night: Brian Cashman said the Yankees have made an updated offer to Aaron Judge, who turned down a $213.5 million extension before Opening Day.
“It’s in real time, so we’re on the clock,” Cashman said. “We’re certainly not going to mess around.”
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) November 18, 2022
Judge seems to be in no rush, but the Yankees are showing the kind of urgency they should have shown several years ago.
Lots of teams extend pre-arbitration or arbitration-eligible players just one or two years into their careers, precisely because it’s a nice way to save some money down the road.
What’s done is done, though, and the Yankees can save face with their own fan base if they make sure Judge returns for the long-term.
Without him, the Yanks would have collapsed in the second half.
NEXT: Yankees Make A Decision On Isiah Kiner-Falefa
Cyril Morley says
Sign Aaron Judges -RF
Jocab DeGrom – SP
Coby Bellinger – LF / FB / Masataka Yoshida -LF
Taylor Rogers -RP / Kenley Jenson – RP
Trevor May – RP
Carlos Correa – SS / Xander Bogaerts – SS
In trade like Jazz Chisholm -SS / SB
Trade Josh Donaldson, Isiah Liner-Falefa, Kyle Higashiosaka, Aaron Hicks, Estevan Florial, Domingo German, Gyleber Torres, Giancarlo Stanton