No. 99 is staying in the Bronx
The Aaron Judge saga has come to an end.
And no, he’s not signing with the San Francisco Giants.
According to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi, Judge agreed to a nine-year deal with the New York Yankees. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal added the contract is worth $360 million.
Betting on himself certainly worked out for Judge, who turned down a massive extension from the Yankees in April that was worth $213.5 million. That’s a nice $145.5 million he would have missed out on had Judge accepted the original offer.
Judge on Tuesday was believed to be headed to the Giants — who were seen as a “realistic possibility” — after the New York Post’s Jon Heyman reported the move, but he “jumped the gun” (and gave us a great typo of “Arson Judge” in the process).
The 30-year-old Judge is coming off a 2022 season in which he hit 62 home runs — a new American League record — and earned the AL MVP. His future in the Bronx was unclear, especially after general manager Brian Cashman revealed the Yankees had no idea Judge was set to attend the winter meetings in San Diego.
The Yankees are coming off another disappointing postseason run after getting swept by the Houston Astros in the American League Championship Series, but now that they have Judge locked up, they can focus on building their roster in hopes to make their first World Series appearance since 2009.