Aaron Judge ultimately signed a nine-year, $360 million contract to remain with the New York Yankees in December 2022, but before he chose to re-up with the Yankees, Judge gave serious consideration to signing with the San Francisco Giants.
The Giants were Judge’s favorite childhood team, as the New York slugger grew up in California. For that reason, they were considered a major threat to steal the superstar outfielder away from the Bronx. As a matter of fact, San Francisco offered Judge the nine-year, $360 million deal first before the Yanks matched it.
Now, Judge will be playing at Oracle Park for the first time in his career on Friday night, so naturally, he was asked about whether or not he seriously considered joining the Giants a year-and-a-half ago.
“Definitely,” Judge said, via Greg Joyce of The New York Post. “When you’re a free agent, you’re looking at all the different options and seeing how it’s going to turn out. It would have been a great place to play, but I ended up staying with New York and I think it was the right choice.”
The series in San Francisco will be a surreal experience for the Yankee captain.
“So now getting a chance to step on the field that I went to so many games in the stands and now getting a chance to be on that field, it’s gonna be pretty – it’s going to be a whirlwind,” Judge said.
Aaron Judge definitely made the right decision to stay with the Yankees
New York Yankees center fielder Aaron Judge (99) rounds the bases on a two-run home run scoring right fielder Juan Soto (22) in the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Judge is building quite the legacy in New York, so he absolutely made the right decision to spurn the Giants and remain with the Yankees.
It didn’t take long for the 32-year-old to become a fan favorite in the Big Apple, as he smashed an AL-best 52 home runs during his first full season with New York in 2017. The only player in baseball to hit more dingers than Judge that season? His now-teammate and good friend Giancarlo Stanton, who racked up 59 long balls with the Miami Marlins.
Since then, Judge has continued to stamp his name among Yankees legends, hitting 62 home runs in 2022 to break Roger Maris’ mark of 61. Due to players like Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa all eclipsing Maris’ record during the steroid era, some consider Judge to be the actual single-season record-holder.
It’s not just that Judge has become a sensation in New York, either. It’s that the Yankees are a better team than the Giants.
New York currently boasts the best record in the American League at 39-19. Judge has ample help in the lineup in the form of sluggers like Stanton and Juan Soto, which is probably the most lethal offensive trio in baseball. The Yanks also have an outstanding pitching staff and look like genuine World Series contenders in 2024.
The same cannot be said for San Francisco, which sits at 29-28, has a middle-of-the-road offense and ranks near the bottom of the league in pitching.
Judge’s No. 99 will probably be displayed in Monument Park one day, and if he is able to add a couple of championships to his resume, he will be right up there with Derek Jeter as one of the most popular Yankees of the last several decades.
