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The New York Yankees’ inability to lock Aaron Judge up on a long-term deal prior to the start of the 2022 season may ultimately result in him wearing a San Francisco Giants uniform.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported the National League West team is “seen as another potential landing spot” for the slugger, who cheered for San Francisco when he was growing up nearby.
Whether the Yankees and Judge would come to terms on an agreement before his self-imposed Opening Day deadline was the biggest storyline for the team entering the campaign.
General manager Brian Cashman said they offered a seven-year, $213.5 million extension that made the deal worth more than $230 million when added to the $17 million from arbitration, per Marly Rivera of ESPN.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported Judge was looking for approximately $36 million per year and didn’t agree to the terms.
“I’m just disappointed because I’ve been vocal that I want to be a Yankee for life,” he told reporters.
That means the 30-year-old is slated to become a free agent after the season and would be a major addition for the Giants or any other team that signed him. After all, he has an American League Rookie of the Year, three All-Star selections and two Silver Sluggers on his resume and has been among the league’s best hitters in the early going this season as well.
Judge is slashing .307/.381/.664 with 14 home runs and 30 RBI through 36 games.
Continuing to play like that will only increase his value, meaning the Giants may need to offer him a megadeal if they are going to be the ultimate landing spot. It may take such a move to return to the level they were at when they won three World Series titles in five years between 2010 and 2014.
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