NEW YORK — Anthony Rizzo made a strong case why the Yankees would need Aaron Judge next season. According to the first baseman, if it weren’t for Aaron Judge‘s 62 home runs, 131 RBI, and amazing play in right and center field, the Yankees would have won at least 50 less than their 99 wins this season.
A day after the Yankees lost the ALCS to the Astros, Anthony Rizzo told:
“Judge won us at least 40 games by himself this year. So if we lost 40 games, that’s what our record would be this year.”
Anthony Rizzo thinks that without Judge, the Yankees would have only won 59 games and had the worst record in the league. Instead, they won 99 games and won their division.
Anthony Rizzo has the right to say what he thinks.
“I think (Judge) bet on himself on the biggest stage in the biggest market, and he did it with ease. He should get the most money of any player in the game. I think he is the new gold standard.”
Hal Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman should read it only to cry. Aaron Judge turned down the Yankees’ offer of $213.5 million over seven years on Opening Day. He wanted to see what he could get as a free agent this offseason, and he’ll find out soon. He is expected to sign for at least $300 million, and maybe a lot more.
According to Leigh Steinberg, one of the best-known sports agents in the United States, Aaron Judge has a chance of signing a contract that could be $500 million and spread over 10 years.
Five days after the World Series, free agency starts, and the Yankees are likely to face tough competition. NJ Advance Media claims the San Francisco Giants plan to outbid the Yankees and everyone else, no matter how much it costs, to bring Judge home to the Bay Area.
Aaron Judge probably won’t get the highest contract in MLB history in terms of total value (Mike Trout, $426.5M) or average annual value (Max Scherzer, $43.3M), but he could beat Trout’s record AAV for a position player (54M).
Aaron Judge was the Yankees’ fourth highest-paid player this year, after Gerrit Cole ($36M), Giancarlo Stanton ($32M), and Josh Donaldson ($21M).
“The money that he’s brought to this organization, to the game of baseball … there’s plenty of money in this game to be spread around,” Anthony Rizzo said. “I think whatever he gets (will be) astronomical and he deserves it.”
Anthony Rizzo could also try to get a bigger share of the money because he has the option to get out of his contract. He plans to decide soon whether to test the market for a second offseason in a row or play out the last year of his two-year, $32-million deal and take the $16 million he’s owed.
Whether Anthony Rizzo stays or goes, he wants Aaron Judge back on the Yankees without a hometown discount.
“He deserves every single thing that’s coming to him and I hope it’s in a Yankee uniform for him and for the game for baseball in general,” Anthony Rizzo said, “We’re seeing people jump ship so much that I think especially with this uniform on from just being a fan, I think the fitting thing for him to be doing is a press conference (at Yankee Stadium) and receiving not only the money that he deserves but also the captain title that comes with it.”
If the Yankees had offered another $50 million and the captaincy last April, Aaron Judge might be getting ready for what is likely to be one of the most publicized free-agent tours ever.
Do you agree with what Anthony Rizzo said?
