Aaron Judge Will Remain a Yankee

Baseball’s Winter Meetings have always produced a lot of big name trades and free agent signings, and this year is no exception. These include pitcher Jacob deGrom (free agent signing with the Texas Rangers), pitcher Justin Verlander (free agent signing with the New York Mets), pitcher Kenley Jansen (free agent signing with the Boston Red Sox), and shortstop Trea Turner (free agent signing with the Philadelphia Phillies). But while those players are changing clubs, perhaps the biggest available name has decided to stay put.

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge has agreed to a nine year $360 million deal to stay with the Yankees, according to multiple sources. Judge was the American League Most Valuable Player in 2022, batting .311 with 62 home runs, 131 RBIs, a .425 on base percentage and a 1.111 OPS. The 6’ 7” 282 pounder is no lumbering big guy either; he stole 16 bases, only getting caught three times. You’ll recall those 62 home runs broke the single season American League record, too. He had about as much leverage now as he will ever have in contract talks, and it paid off. His $40 million per year average is $4 million more than the L.A. Angels’ Mike Trout gets as the second highest paid per year position player.

Judge, who turns 31 in April, considered offers from the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres, before returning to the Yankees. New York had offered him $213.5 million for seven years back in March, but Judge decided to take a chance and see if he could cash in even more as a free agent, and he did to the tune of an extra $150 million or so. And he doesn’t have to move, either.

Here’s his 62 home run of the 2022 season: