Aaron Judge Contract Extension: On August 31, 2022, in Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, right fielder Aaron Judge (99) of the New York Yankees takes the field against the Los Angeles Angels. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports New York’s Yankees are determined to sign Aaron Judge to a long-term extension following his perfect 2022 campaign.
In yesterday evening’s edition of the New York Post, veteran journalist Jon Heyman wrote an intriguing piece about the likely offseason moves of a few high-profile free agents. He discusses Aaron Judge, noting that, according to him, MLB front office execs assume he will remain in the Bronx.
Heyman wrote: “Most expect the Yankees to re-sign AL MVP shoo-in Judge even though there was a big gap in talks when they broke for the season, and it doesn’t always work out the way we think or expect (see Freddie Freeman, now happy as a Dodger). As one rival GM put it, “They have to keep him, don’t they?” We’d certainly think so”
Judge, as the Yankees’ franchise player, would likely receive a contract worth more than $35 million annually, making it one of the highest in the franchise’s history. This year will go down in history as Aaron Judge’s Legacy Year, and who knows how many more records he will break this month? His dedication to the New York Yankees’ fan base and the greater community is indicative of the kind of person he is.
In 2018, he launched the All-Rise Foundation (just after his ROY campaign) to encourage and support young people in their pursuit of leadership roles in society. He has done endless humanitarian work in both California and New York and has done it with a smile from ear to ear.
Judge Does It All, On And Off The Field For The New York Yankees:
There is no player in baseball more interesting to watch than Aaron Judge. How he manages to perform what he does every day while wearing the “heavy” Pinstripes with relative ease is something that doesn’t get enough attention. He is unfazed by the spotlight and is designed for the most momentous of occasions.
His influence on the sport is undeniable, as he is the most popular player in the league and his jerseys sell like hotcakes. The Judge’s Chambers relies on Aaron Judge’s existence and the fact that he is a fantastic baseball player to justify its existence. To put it plainly, Aaron Judge contributes to the financial success of the New York Yankees, which in turn benefits Hal Steinbrenner.
Recent Forbes estimates place the value of the Yankees franchise at over $7 billion, and with YES and Legends continuing to grow and expand, Hal has plenty of cash to spend. Since Aaron Judge’s 51 home runs put him 20 ahead of the rest of the American League, and since many are expecting him to break Roger Maris’ 61 home runs from 1961, he should win the MVP award without question this season.
The current season of Judge has been all you could ever want it to be and more. His OPS sits at 1.062, his wRC+ is 196 (remember, 100 is league average), and his fWAR (on pace for 10+) soars to 8.3. This level of dominance is indescribable, and without him, the team would still be in a dogfight with Baltimore for the division and playoff spots.
To overstate Judge’s significance would be an understatement, and I agree with Heyman for once that Hal Steinbrenner will not let the franchise player of all franchise players depart.
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