Rocio Robles
Despite the joy in the Bronx over the victory of the New York Yankees in the Opening Day against the Boston Red Sox, the contractual situation of Aaron Judge could become a real nightmare for a team that begins the 2022 Major League Baseball season tagged as favorites to reach the World Series.
Let’s recall that prior to the start of the season, the stellar outfielder decided to reject the outstanding offer made by the New York franchise, which would have made him the player with the highest annual salary in the history of the franchise. Now, the two sides are expected to remain in talks during the regular round, something that could generate negative consequences for both parties.
Aaron Judge’s Health
While he’s coming off an MVP-level performance in 2021, prior to that, Judge was dealing with physical issues that kept him limited the next three seasons after connecting for 52 home runs to win the 2017 American League Rookie of the Year award.
Based on the aforementioned facts, the 29-year-old has to take advantage of his current health to secure his future with a deal that will make him one of the highest paid outfielders in the MLB.
Possible Aaron Judge extension would be a distraction for Yankees
The fact that one of the team’s best players is in the midst of contract extension talks during the 2022 regular season could become an issue for the Yankees. The team will likely have to win nearly 100 games to have a chance to win the American League East Division in the presence of great teams like the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays.
It would not be unusual if the discomfort of not having a clear future in the franchise ends up generating an irregular offensive production from Judge, who comes from registering 39 homers and 98 runs batted in last season.
In his MLB career, Aaron Judge has a .276 average and .386 OBP, with 158 home runs and 366 runs batted in.
