LOS ANGELES, CA – AUGUST 25: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees during the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on August 25, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. Teams are wearing special color schemed uniforms with players choosing nicknames to display for Players’ Weekend. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
The New York Yankees and Aaron Judge remain far apart in potential contract extension talks. But which teams are the biggest threats to steal him away from New York?
The Yankees offered Judge a seven-year extension worth $213.5 million before the season, and while that seemed like a decent offer at the time, the AL MVP candidate has since slugged his way into $300 million territory if the offseason were to start today.
So — which teams are the biggest threats to steal Judge away from the Yankees?
Per Jon Heyman, the San Francisco Giants are seen as the biggest threats to sign Judge this offseason. It would be a hometown signing for Judge, as he’s from Linden, California.
Per Heyman, “the Yankees are probably right in viewing the Giants as the most logical threat.”
Aaron Judge rumors: 2 more threats to the Yankees
Beyond the Giants, another threat to the Yankees supremacy in Judge contract talks would be the New York Mets. Under Steve Cohen, the team from Queens has not been afraid to swing big in free agency. Signing Judge and shocking fellow New York baseball fans would do just that.
It would also add a big bat to the payroll on a team which already features an incredible starting rotation with Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer and more in tow.
Besides the Mets, look no further than the Blue Jays or even Angels. Toronto’s window is opening now and they’re not afraid to spend. A lineup with Judge and Vlad Jr. in it is scary. The Angels, meanwhile, could make the same hometown pitch as the Giants, and have a strong urge to win with Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani on the roster.