Dodgers Offseason: Joc Pederson is Working to Recruit Aaron Judge to Giants
The Giants are one of several teams in on free-agent outfielder Aaron Judge, as San Francisco would like to add two outfielders to their roster this offseason. The Dodgers are also in on Judge, although they seem to be underdogs with both the Giants and the Yankees saying they won't be outbid for the slugger.
Judge grew up near San Francisco, which has led some to think the Giants will be frontrunners for the reigning AL MVP. The Giants already have one outfielder who grew up in the Bay Area rooting for the team, and that player — Joc Pederson — has gotten involved in the recruiting process for Judge.
Pederson accepted San Francisco's qualifying offer last week, coming back for a second season with the Giants on a one-year, $19.65 million contract. Judge will be looking for a lot more years and a lot more dollars, but the Giants are in a prime position to give it to him with their roster needs and their payroll flexibility.
With or without Joc's efforts, the Dodgers seem like longshots to sign Judge, so the bigger question for them is whether they'll face him 14 times a year with the Giants or just a handful with the Yankees. Judge will be 31 in April, and if he gets a deal of seven to nine years this offseason as seems likely, it's hard to imagine that deal coming from Los Angeles.
