Aaron Judge is one of the most elite players in baseball and is currently the best at the plate, with top 5 in RBIs and No. 1 in home runs. Judge could help a team’s offense in a drastic way, and can be attributed to a lot of the Yankees’ success.
His contract runs out with the Yankees this year, and although he is one of the biggest names in baseball, big names have big price tags. There is a large number of teams that want in on his talent, and they may put more money on the table than the Yankees can match.
There are three teams that I think want Judge the most and have the money to spend. One of them is a close neighbor of theirs, one is a divisional rival, and the last one may shock you. These three teams have the best shot in the Aaron Judge Free Agency bid, and here’s why.
Hidey Ho, Neighborino!
Although Ned Flanders isn’t much of a baseball player himself, he and this select suitor for Judge have a bit in common. Yankees fans hate them with a passion, but nobody else does. They may be annoying on occasion, but for the most part, they’re harmless.
Until this year. The New York Mets have been building a subtle playoff contender over the past year, making their way into first place in the NL East. They don’t have much defensive star-power in the outfield, and putting Judge there wouldn’t hurt.
The biggest selling point for the Mets is their offensive firepower. Alongside Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso, this could be the best offense in baseball. Stout defense, strong offense, and wouldn’t have to move across the country? I sense a big pull from the Mets during this period.
King Kong vs Godzilla
This next team in question is an AL rival of the Yankees with a recent history flooded with success. As much as Yankees fans would hate Judge in Queens, they would despise him in Houston.
The idea makes my skin crawl. Seeing Judge in the signature orange gives me the worst pounding headache imaginable. However, although the idea frightens me, the realistic side of me sees why it would happen.
Kyle Tucker is holding it down in centerfield, so moving Judge to the side won’t be too difficult. Honestly, putting Judge back in right field may be a good thing for both parties
What scares me the most is that this team may be able to afford him. Judge, right now, is on the team with the least amount of cap space in the league. Houston is ranked 25th. Although this may not seem like a big jump to you, that gap is $67 million long.
The Surprise Pick
As much as I love the idea of Judge going to Boston and making everyone angry, or even a move to the Twins who have jumped into the free-agent conversations, I’m gonna pick selfish today. There’s a team that’s floundering in the standings, has young talent, and needs offensive firepower.
They have money, are in a nice area, and would honestly not make a single baseball fan too upset about the move. They’re a solid defensive unit with very little batting help, and if they can find a solid pitching rotation in free agency to back up Judge, this team could do wonders.
The team I’m speaking of is the Seattle Mariners. Line him up with Ty France and Eugenio Suarez’s bats, you have a solid top 4 in your hitting rotation. The Mariners have 35 defensive runs saved, putting them at 4th in the league. Nothing like the Yankees, but very close.
Lastly, and most importantly, they have money. They are the 12th lowest in the league in team payroll, putting them over every other team listed. Compared to the Yankees’ $207.6 million, they don’t even break 100.
Offer Judge a massive deal, let him be the star that Seattle needs, and take them to the promised land. Not only will fans respect this decision, but the Mariners are a bit of a fan favorite due to their underdog status. They can build around him and make the team better, they already have developing pieces in place, and all they need to do now is commit to the deal and get him in. Aaron Judge is going to be a Seattle Mariner, and the world is going to love it.
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