SAN DIEGO — Aaron Judge agreed to return to the New York Yankees early Wednesday morning on a historic nine-year, $360 million deal, but only after a last-minute push from a surprise draft entrant for the free agent slugger – the San Diego Padres.
The judge’s deal, which is pending a physical, gives him the highest average annual value for a position player in major league history, breaking Mike Trout’s previous mark of 35.5 million of nearly $5 million. The deal lasts two more years and is worth $146.5 million more than the $213.5 million seven-year extension offer the judge rejected from the Yankees at the end of spring training. .
Judge, who turns 31 on April 26, increased his value by having the best walking year ever in baseball, hitting 62 homers to break the American League single-season record. He will now be tied to the Yankees throughout his 39-year-old season. He’s expected to become the team’s captain as part of the deal, which ensures he’ll likely retire wearing the only uniform he’s ever known.
The Giants made a strong push for Judge, and at one point on Tuesday they appeared to be gaining momentum in their efforts to sign him. Looking to add a marquee slugger, they are now expected to pursue one of the three remaining shortstops in the free agent market – Carlos Correa, Xander Bogaerts or Dansby Swanson.
The Padres retired Trea Turner on Monday, but as is often the case under general manager AJ Preller, they weren’t ready to stop swinging. Club officials met face-to-face with Aaron Judge on Tuesday night at Petco Park in San Diego, four sources with knowledge of the matter said. Athleticism. However, it is believed that they never had the chance to make a formal offer.
A meeting with the judge signaled that Preller and owner Peter Seidler were seriously considering the pivot of all pivots. Before Turner agreed to a $300 million deal with the Phillies, the Padres offered the shortstop a $342 million guarantee spread over at least 11 years, according to a person familiar with the talks. Now that they’ve lost Judge, they could embark on a more serious pursuit of Bogaerts, who industry sources say Preller maintains his interest in.
Judge, however, represented a better choice for the Padres than Bogaerts or Turner. Signing him would arguably give San Diego the most star-powered outfield in baseball, with the American League’s home run king and Juan Soto patrolling the corners. It would also have allowed Fernando Tatis Jr. to stay in the infield once he returned from his performance-enhancing drug suspension on April 20, in a combination alongside Jake Cronenworth and Ha-Seong Kim.
The Padres would have become the first major league team to carry three $300 million players – Judge, Tatis and Manny Machado. Instead, that accolade will go to the Yankees, who have pitcher Gerrit Cole on a nine-year, $324 million deal and Giancarlo Stanton on a 13-year, $325 million deal they acquired from the Marlins.
With Judge set to return, the Yankees intend to ramp up other free agent activity. Left-hander Carlos Rodón, outfielder Andrew Benintendi and Japanese outfielder Matsataka Yoshida are among the players they are interested in. The team has already re-signed first baseman Anthony Rizzo and reached a deal with reliever Tommy Kahnle.
—AthleticismAndy McCullough contributed to this story
(Photo: Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)