Yankees' Aaron Judge Reveals Why He's Happy He Didn't Sign With Padres

There was once a moment in time when the San Diego Padres had a chance to have the great Aaron Judge on their roster.

Judge was being courted by a few different teams before he ended up signing the massive nine-year, $360 million deal to return to the New York Yankees in the 2022 offseason. At the time, it was the richest contract ever for a Major League Baseball free agent.

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The captain of the Yankees spoke to USA Today's Bob Nightengale on that decision and some other California-based teams he could have signed with.

“This is where I always wanted to be, especially after getting drafted here," Judge said. “This is my home. But if I was to look back, and would have signed with the Padres or signed with the [San Francisco] Giants, it could be a little different.

“I might have been getting booed like [Juan] Soto, so I’m happy with my decision."

Ahead of the 2023 season, Soto was a member of the San Diego Padres and preparing to begin his first and only full season as a member of the Friars after a blockbuster deal landed him at Petco Park at the 2022 trade deadline.

Soto could have gotten a head start on his eventual partnership with Judge after he was dealt to the Yankees ahead of the 2024 campaign, but now as a member of the New York Mets, Soto gets his fair share of tough love from the New York baseball scene.

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“Really, for me, it was all about getting a fair deal for what I thought I was worth, while still putting the team in a good position to sign who we need to," continued Judge.

The Giants presented Judge with a $360 million offer, as Nightengale claimed that the Padres presented "the concept of" a 10-year, $400 million deal.

Judge was born in Linden, CA, about 466 miles away from Petco Park, but inside of a two-hour drive from where the Giants' Oracle Park.

Although it's hard to imagine the three-time MVP in anything but pinstripes, one can't help but wonder the damage he would do to opposing pitchers in a Padres uniform.

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For more Padres news, head over to Padres on SI.