MLB Insider 'Skeptical' Aaron Judge Will Leave Yankees, Calls Him Perfect Fit For Mets
One day after Aaron Judge shared an unforgettable moment with his Yankees teammates and New York's fan base, setting the American League record with his 62nd home run of the season, the focus has shifted back to what uniform the superstar slugger will wear in 2023.
Judge will enter free agency at the end of the 2022 season after turning down a lucrative offer from the Yankees this spring.
Betting on himself seems to be a solid decision for the 30-year-old, don't you think?
Judge enters the final day of the regular season with an outside shot at winning a Triple Crown, producing MVP-caliber numbers across the board while avoiding injury and leading baseball's most storied franchise to a division title as the face of the sport.
As has been the case all season, some pundits, like ESPN's Buster Olney, are looking ahead and envisioning a scenario where Judge leaves the organization that drafted him, signing elsewhere in free agency.
Here's what Olney had to say about the situation in an interview with ESPN's Get Up on Wednesday morning:
"The contract he's going to get in the offseason is going to start with the number three, as in $300 million. Think about the fact that the Yankees' offer in the spring was $213.5 million. I think the pressure on the Yankees is going to be so great that they're going to have to blow up their typical conservatism and they're going to have to make him a huge offer. I can tell you this, people around baseball are skeptical that he would leave the Yankees and that they would actually let him leave. That said, there is going to be an opportunity for an inspired owner of another team—maybe it's the Giants—to jump in with a big number. And you know what? Aaron Judge would absolutely fit perfectly for what the Mets need. Owner Steve Cohen knows that his team needs a big injection of power and there's no bigger injection of power in baseball these days than Aaron Judge."
San Francisco has been a team linked to Judge all year considering the slugger is from California and grew up a Giants fan. If they offer Judge a contract he can't refuse, giving him a chance to return home with his family, it'll be hard to say no.
That said, it certainly seems like he's enjoyed his time within the Yankees organization. He's had a shot to win a World Series every year, he's been shining on the biggest stage in the nation's biggest market, blossoming on and off the field. It's hard to see Judge leaving when you think about how much money the Yankees have to offer and how much No. 99 means to the franchise.
The final comment that Olney made might be the one that sticks with Yankees fans the most. Could you imagine if Judge didn't just leave in free agency, but moved across town and joined the Mets?
That club has the financial flexibility to land another expensive star like Judge and as Olney said, they could certainly benefit from Judge's services in the middle of their lineup. Then again, duh. Every team would love to have Judge on their roster, smashing records.
It's safe to say that rumors on Judge's future will begin to pick up again as this season comes to a close—whether the Yankees can win a championship or not. The Mets and Giants are definitely going to be contenders to watch in the Judge sweepstakes.
MORE:
- Does Aaron Judge Still Have a Chance to Win Triple Crown?
- Aaron Judge Opens Up About Hitting 62nd Home Run, Why He Felt Relieved
- WATCH: Fan Jumps Off Bleachers Trying to Catch Aaron Judge's 62nd Home Run
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