New York Yankees outfielder and AL MVP candidate Aaron Judge is a free agent after the season, and apparently, he doesn’t want to sign with a “loser” like the Chicago Cubs.
New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge bet on himself this offseason and thus far, it has paid off. He could become the highest-paid position player this offseason on the free agent market, whether he re-signs with the Yankees or signs elsewhere.
However, it seems like that “elsewhere” will not be on the north side of Chicago with the Chicago Cubs.
A rival executive says that Yankees star Aaron Judge won’t sign with the “loser” Cubs
The Chicago Cubs have not exactly been the best team in baseball in 2022 as the New York Yankees have, far and away, been the best team. Since Aaron Judge wants to win, it seems very unlikely that Judge will sign with the Cubs this offseason, according to one rival executive in a conversation with ESPN’s Buster Olney (subscription required).
“He wants to win. He’s not going to sign with a loser like the Cubs are right now,” the rival evaluator said. “I don’t see him signing up for the rebuild.”
The Cubs have slashed their payroll by about 25 percent since 2019, and entering Wednesday, they have a record of 25-43, which is a 162-game pace of 60-102. The current MLB record for wins in a season is 116, and the Yankees are on pace to smash that record, as they are on pace for a 119-43 record.
Judge has been a huge reason for that. In 66 games, he is leading the majors in runs (55), home runs (25), and slugging percentage (.644). In total, he’s hitting .300/.378/.644 with an OPS+ of 190, or 90 percent better than league average. His 3.4 rWAR is tied for third-highest in the majors.
Regardless of where he signs, if he stays healthy, Aaron Judge will be a transcendental player for years to come. Perhaps he could help turn the Cubs around, or he could help the Yankees win the World Series for the first time in more than a decade.