Aaron Judge was consistent through the end. The Yankees’ slugger never let himself talk about his free agency during the season. After he turned down an extension offer worth $234 million on Opening Day, Judge made himself focus on the field.
He went out and had a historic season with free agency and the possibility he may never play in the Bronx in pinstripes again waiting at the end. So Sunday night, after the end came in a 6-5 loss to the Astros in Yankee Stadium, Judge said he still wasn’t ready to think about his future.
Not even walking off the field as the final out Sunday night, did Judge think about it as the end, although fan bases in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston and other deep-pocket markets could begin to dream about adding the slugger to their lineups.
“Not at all. I tried to go out there and do my job and help this team win and I really didn’t think of it. It happened so quickly. You don’t really have time to soak in,” Judge said. “That’s all gonna run through my agent. I haven’t even thought about the next step yet, but like I said we got we got time to figure it out. I’ve never been in this spot before, so I don’t know how to answer that.”
The 30-year-old was clearly unhappy on Opening Day, when, after he had declined the Yankees’ eight-year extension offer, GM Brian Cashman came out and laid out the details of what was on the table. At the time, it was a deal that would have been worth $234 million including 2022. Judge bet on himself, that he could get more than the annual AAV of $30.5 million.
And it is turning out to be a smart bet.
While some will remember that he slashed .139/.184/.306 with two home runs, 15 strikeouts and a .490 OPS in the playoffs, Judge had a historic season, quieting doubts about his ability to stay healthy and putting up MVP-type numbers — while mostly playing center field.
“Incredible. Just an incredible season and someone that I’ve grown close with and just admire and respect and hopefully we’ll see him in pinstripes for a long time,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “I don’t even want to think about the alternative right now.
“But he means a lot to a lot of us in that room.”
His bat would mean a lot in other lineups as well and there are teams who are willing to pay for it.
The Giants, near his hometown of Linden, have been rumored as a landing spot for Judge. The Red Sox, Dodgers and Mets have also been rumored landing spots.
San Francisco has been at the top of the list in terms of teams expected to take a run at Judge. NJ.com’s Randy Miller reported Tuesday that the Giants are “prepared to spend whatever it takes” to sign Judge, citing an anonymous source who had recently met with members of the team’s ownership group.
The source also told NJ.com that the Giants were planning to sign multiple other high-level free agents, expecting that would help sell Judge that they were serious about returning to contention after missing the playoffs in five of the last six seasons — with 2021’s 107-win NL West championship season as the lone outlier.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers’ potential bid made waves Tuesday, too, when MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand wrote that some of the money expected to come off LA’s payroll in the persons of Trea Turner, Justin Turner and others could be turned into a Judge offer. In that event, right fielder Mookie Betts could move back to his initial position as a second baseman.
Judge has always made it clear, however, that he would like to play his entire career with the Yankees — if they are fair with their offer.
Sunday night, he expressed how special playing in the Bronx was to him.
“Getting the chance to wear the pinstripes and play right field at Yankee Stadium. It’s an incredible honor that I definitely didn’t take for granted at any point,” Judge said. “I always check myself pregame when I say a little prayer and I kind of look around the stadium and kind of pinch myself. There were very few individuals to get a chance to run out in that field and do that and play in front of the fans who have supported us throughout my whole, six years here.
“So it was a special time you know, I just kick myself for not bringing home that championship for them.”
He gave them plenty to cheer for, though — especially this season.
He led the majors with 62 home runs and a 10.6 bWAR, and was tied with the Mets’ Pete Alonso with 131 RBI. The 62 home runs broke a 61-year-old American League and Yankees single-season home run record. It is the seventh-most ever hit in a single season in baseball history.
If it is the end of an era in the Bronx for Judge, it was a pretty memorable ride. He debuted in 2016 with a home run in his first big-league at-bat, foreshadowing his time in pinstripes. He may have struggled the rest of that season, but in 2017 he left no doubts that he would be the leader of this team of homegrown “Baby Bombers.”
He was the American League Rookie of the Year in 2017, hitting .284/.422/.627 with a then-rookie record 52 homers and 114 RBI. He’d finish second in A.L. MVP voting to the Astros’ Jose Altuve.
In that postseason, Judge led the “Baby Bombers,” to an unexpected postseason run, setting expectations high for another Core Four-like dynasty. It never came. The Yankees have made the playoffs every season since Judge’s rookie year, but never won an AL pennant, let alone a World Series.
Judge was slowed by injuries, like several of his young teammates, until the last two seasons. He missed 45 games in 2018 with a right wrist fracture, 54 in 2019 with a strained oblique and in 2020 he missed 30 of the COVID-abbreviated 60-game season with a calf strain. Since then he has missed just nine games on the COVID injured list.
Judge’s age will also be a factor in his contract. He will be entering his age 31 season in 2023, four years older than most of the players who recently got mega, long-term contracts. He could, however, challenge the top AAV of the game. The Mats’ Max Scherzer’s $43.3 million tops the charts and his now former teammate Gerrit Cole set a Yankees’ record at $36 million.
