Yankees, Aaron Judge Fail to Reach Extension Before Opening Day
In this story:
Aaron Judge said he and the Yankees had until Opening Day’s first pitch to get an extension done. Brian Cashman, however, called negotiations at 11:15 a.m. on Friday.
The verdict: no deal.
Cashman announced that the club and its homegrown superstar could not agree on a long-term contract prior to the start of the 2022 season. Cashman said that the Yankees offered Judge $213.5 million over seven years, an average annual value of $30.5 million, in addition to a $17 million salary (New York’s arbitration filing number for Judge) in 2022.
“We were unsuccessful in concluding a multiyear pact,” Cashman said. “Obviously, our intent is to have Aaron Judge stay as a New York Yankee as we move forward, and I know that’s his intent as well.”
Judge, a free agent after this season, will now play the 2022 season on one-year deal at a yet to be determined rate. While the Yankees filed at $17 million, Judge’s arbitration proposal was $21 million. The two sides can still work out a one-year compromise before a potential arbitration hearing. The same technically goes for a long-term pact, but Judge made it clear that he didn’t want to talk about an extension during the season.
While Judge’s impending free agency will now be a storyline throughout the 2022 campaign, the two sides will have time to hammer out a deal after the season. If Judge repeats his productive 2021 season, he could position himself for an even bigger payday from New York or another franchise. However, if the 29-year-old takes a step back or deals with injuries like he has in the past, he could be in for a smaller offer. Either way, the Yankees will get another crack at locking Judge up before he hits the open market.
“Our hope is that, at some point, we'll find that common ground,” Cashman said. “But the timing, obviously, on that’s not going to happen right now.
“We’ll obviously re-engage when the opportunity exists post-season.”
MORE:
- Ron Marinaccio Is Ready to Dominate in Yankees Bullpen While Living Out His Dream
- Why the Yankees Believe They Will Win the World Series This Year
- Yankees Unveil Opening Day Lineup: Who Starts, Who Sits?
Follow Gary Phillips on Twitter (@GaryHPhillips). Be sure to bookmark Inside The Pinstripes and check back daily for news, analysis and more.
