Aaron Judge Rumors: Insider Sees $320M+ for Free Agent if Dodgers Enter Sweepstakes
Movement in the Dodgers off-season officially began when Tyler Anderson signed with the Angels and Trea Turner officially rejected his qualifying offer. This puts the Dodgers in a bind regarding what they prioritize more but that doesn't necessarily take them away from possibly landing Aaron Judge.
Of course, Judge also rejected his qualifying offer and is ready to test the free agency market after his record-breaking season. The Yankees will have to match what he's looking for, which is estimated to be upwards of $300 million, but if the Dodgers want to enter the sweepstakes they may have to offer a bit more.
The competition for Judge will remain at an all-time high as he becomes arguably the most valuable player entering free agency. The Dodgers present a real threat to the Yankees and it's hard to imagine Judge accepting anything less than what the field is offering (via Jeff Passan, ESPN).
Front-office officials surveyed at the GM meetings pegged a Judge deal somewhere in the neighborhood of eight years and $320 million -- perhaps a tick higher if the San Francisco Giants or Los Angeles Dodgers make a spirited run at Judge. Even then, the Yankees have plenty of room to meet Judge's demands and need outfield help in an outfield-poor free agent class along with the sort of power only Judge provides among this winter's top available hitters.
As more time continues to pass, Judge's value continues to rise. The accolades keep piling in such an impressive season for Judge but it remains to be seen if the Dodgers will be willing to pay top dollar for the MVP hopeful.
