When the New York Yankees 2022 season officially came to a close last week upon being eliminated by the Houston Astros in the American League Championship Series, Aaron Judge rumors immediately began swirling as he’s due to become arguably the most sought-after players on the open market.
The four-time All-Star and this year’s presumed AL MVP is due to reach free agency for the first time in his career. Judge is likely to provide one of the most intriguing pursuits of a player perhaps since the free agency dramas of Bryce Harper and Manny Machado in 2019.
While it is widely anticipated that many teams, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, will be interested in the Judge sweepstakes, there may already be a favorite.
According to NJ.com’s Randy Miller, there’s some belief the San Francisco Giants are the frontrunners to sign Judge:
“Judge is believed to remain upset that the Yankees announced details of an extension, and a person close to him believes the Giants are Judge’s no. 1 choice and predicted ‘it’s looking good next season for the orange and black.’
The Giants, who finished third in the National League West this year with an 81-81 record after winning the division last season by going 107-55, are in need of a star power like Judge. Beyond a boost in on-field production, it would also represent a bit of a homecoming as Judge grew up not far from San Francisco.
According to reports, the Dodgers’ longtime rival are prepared to do everything they can to sign him. It was also previously indicated that Judge may prefer to re-sign with the Yankees.
Aaron Judge stats
Judge, who made his MLB debut in 2016, had an unbelievable year at the plate for the Bronx Bombers. In addition to setting a new AL home run record, the right-handed slugger finished the season with a career high in batting average (.311), RBI (131) and on-base plus slugging percentage (1.111.)
Judge also led all of baseball in slugging (.686) and wRC+ (207).
Are you following Dodger Blue on Instagram? It’s the best way to see exclusive coverage from games and events, get your questions answered, and more!
