MLB Insider: Yankees' New Offer to Aaron Judge Would Be Record-Setting Contract
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This record-setting superstar has received a new offer in free agency, one that what would be a record-setting contract.
Aaron Judge has an offer on the table from the Yankees in the neighborhood of eight years and $300 million, per Jeff Passan of ESPN. That deal would exceed the previous benchmark in average annual value for a position player, set by Mike Trout at $35.5 million.
Passan added that New York's offer to Judge is poised to increase depending on how much the San Francisco Giants (or other suitors, like the Los Angeles Dodgers) are willing to spend.
New York offered Judge a $213.5 million extension before Opening Day. Judge declined, betting on himself. He proceeded to make history, swatting 62 home runs, becoming the new single-season home run king in the American League in the final year of his contract. The 30-year-old led the Majors in countless statistical categories, carrying the Yankees to an ALCS appearance while winning the first Most Valuable Player Award of his career.
While both Judge and the Yankees have made it clear their goal is to renew their relationship for 2023 and beyond, anything can happen on the open market. Judge recently met with the Giants in San Francisco, stopping by at Oracle Park while texting with Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry about playing in the Bay Area. That, of course, is close to home for Judge, who grew up down the road in Linden, California.
Here's one final note from Passan:
Across the industry, the expectation is that Judge re-signs, but it's worth remembering: The last time the highest-paid free agent remained with his current team was Yoenis Cespedes with the Mets in 2016. And before that, it was Matt Holliday in 2009.
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- Former Yankees Reliever Hoping For MLB Return With Angels
- Could Astros Make a Run at Andrew Benintendi?
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