Aaron Judge is set to get paid. It’s just a matter of how much and by whom.
The New York Yankees outfielder rejected a seven-year, $213.5 million contract before Opening Day and will become a free agent after the season.
And Judge is having a walk season for the ages, challenging for the Triple Crown while leading the American League in home runs (60), RBI (128) and batting average (.314).
His next home run will tie Roger Maris for the club and AL record.
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So ESPN polled more than a dozen MLB executives, agents and insiders to see just how much Judge can expect to get on the open market.
The contract guesses are pretty symmetrical, with one standout at the top (I wouldn’t call it an outlier) and two at the bottom. These average out to 8.6 years and a hair below $320 million, which perfectly averages the two median responses.
That means Judge made himself an extra $100 million by betting on himself this season.
But who will give the 30-year-old his life-altering contract? Per ESPN:
Of the nine respondents to project a team Judge will end up with, four said he will stay with the Yankees, two have him going to the Mets, two said the Giants and one said the Giants or Dodgers. … Judge could very well be the top offseason priority for the teams with the top three payrolls in baseball -- along with a San Francisco club with big offseason spending potential -- so the concept of Judge leaving the Bronx to go to a higher bidder doesn’t seem so farfetched.
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If you’re looking for a dark horse in the Judge sweepstakes, the Boston Globe’s Chad Finn has one: the Red Sox, who are desperate to upgrade their roster while on their way to a last-place finish in the American League East.
What’s that you say? Could it be Judge? I could see the Red Sox making an offer but coming nowhere close to what he eventually gets from the Yankees, Mets, or his boyhood favorite team, the Giants.
MORE MLB:
- Yankees’ minor-league affiliate just 1 win from league title thanks to top slugging prospects
- NL East up for grabs as Mets lose and Braves win
- Blue Jays manager John Schneider on Aaron Judge, ‘you can’t ignore it’
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Mike Rosenstein may be reached at mrosenstein@njadvancemedia.com.
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