It looks like Aaron Judge will play out the 2022 season without a contract extension, meaning the uncertainty about his Yankee future will hang over the entire campaign.
Now, as the Yanks get set for Opening Day after Judge and the front office remained apart on a deal, will a potentially disgruntled Judge be impacted be the inability to get a long-term deal done?
That’s not something Aaron Boone is worried about, even if others are.
“I think a lot of you know Aaron well enough. He’s the ultimate teammate,” Boone said. “He’s probably the biggest leader in that room, and he's an amazing player that wants to go out and be great and wants nothing more to be part of a championship club. There's no doubt in my mind that whatever the outcome is, nothing will change in the way Aaron goes about things.
“I’m sure we’re gonna look up two, three, four weeks from now, and whatever his results are in the immediate are gonna be ‘because he signed’ or he didn’t. he’s just too solid of a makeup and player that it’s not gonna be an issue.”
Boone hasn’t discussed it with Judge, but no matter what happens, he believes it won’t have any impact on his performance on the field, in what could be a tune-up to free agency and a potential end to his pinstriped career.
“Honestly, so much other stuff going on, I haven’t had any conversations with Aaron about it,” Boone said. “I’ve had very few with Cash about it. so, it’ll be if it is. I’ve seen some of Aaron’s comments, and I agree that it will get done or not. But I truly believe it will not have an effect on him.”
Boone also doesn’t see the clubhouse reacting negatively to the team not locking up its star and face of the franchise being an issue in 2022.
“I know how close this group is,” Boone said. “The bond and the seriousness of this group right now, I don't think anything gets in the way of that. I don’t anticipate that, but we’ll see.”
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