2023 MLB Free Agent Preview: Aaron Judge
With the World Series set to end soon, it’s almost time for offseason talk. There is a plethora of MLB free agents this offseason, many of which we expect to find new teams. We’ll go through a list of the top players set to hit the market and start with the biggest name available: Aaron Judge
2022 Review
Judge is most likely to win AL MVP after his 2022 performance. He leads the AL in home runs (62) RBIs (131) runs (133) OBP (.425) SLG (.686) OPS (1.111) and of course, walks (111.) Those 62 home runs broke the single-season home run record in the AL, passing Roger Maris. He had the best season of his career in a contract year, and if the Yankees want to keep him they’ll have to throw the whole city of New York at him.
Potential Landing Spots
Despite being 30 years old, Judge is going to get a contract of well over $300 million. There’s a chance of him staying in the Bronx, but let’s see the possible landing spots for the free-agent.
New York Yankees
Obviously the safest bet. He’s been with the team his whole career, so of course, he has a connection. The Yankees have holes to fill, however. Throwing all their money at Judge doesn’t leave much room to improve the rest of the team. They’ve been nothing but a disappointment in the AL, and haven’t reached the World Series in over a decade. Despite this being the safest, it seems unlikely Judge will stay. Also worth noting is that Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported that the Yankees offered Judge a deal back in April, which obviously was declined.
New York Mets
The Bronx would be on fire if this one happened, but daddy Steve Cohen has a chance to make it work. First of all, how convenient would this be for Judge? Citi Field is seven miles from Yankee Stadium, so the slugger wouldn’t have to worry about moving. Cohen, the wealthiest owner in baseball, isn’t afraid to throw money at players to win. He gave Max Scherzer $40 million a year without hesitation. If Judge wants to stay in New York but in a new chapter, the 101-win Mets might be an option. He’d get payed by them, so don’t count out the Mets.
San Francisco Giants
Farhan Zaidi will not be beat. He saw his team go from a 100+ win team to a mediocre one in a span of one year. He will reportedly not be out-bid for Judge, and there’s a lot of promise for the outfielder to end up in the Bay. First off, he was raised in the central California town of Linden, near Fresno, and also attended Fresno State. Nothing but Giants territory out there. Because of that, Judge grew up a Giants fan. Don’t know about you, but if you had a chance to play for your childhood team and get a bag, you’d probably take it.
Los Angeles Angels
Milo Coulter would go ballistic if this happened. The Dodgers, despite losing to the San Diego Padres in the NLDS, aren’t afraid to spend money. They’re always linked to big names, which led to getting Mookie Betts, Trea Turner, and Freddie Freeman. The Dodgers are so serious about Judge that they’d move Betts to second base to put Judge out in right field. They’re another team that wouldn’t have an issue with the money, and it would soften the blow if they lose Turner.
Boston Red Sox
Babe Ruth, Luis Tiant, Wade Boggs, Roger Clemens, Johnny Damon, Kevin Youkilis, and Jacoby Ellsbury. All names who played for the Red Sox and ultimately went and played for the rival Yankees. This could be a chance for the Red Sox to get one back. The Red Sox are in a difficult situation, making this move unlikely. They have Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers who still need contracts, and if they want to avoid a rebuild they’ll need to lock the two up. It would still give Judge the opportunity to stay on the east coast, and the Red Sox could use that kind of power in the lineup.
The Verdict
While there are a lot of possibilities of where Judge will go, he most likely won’t return to the Yankees. The man got booed during the players by his own fans, and former pitcher Jake Arrieta said Judge needs to get the hell out. In my opinion, he goes home and signs with the Giants. They’re a team that has to make a statement, and you won’t get pasted the Dodgers and Padres without a big-name guy.
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