Wednesday is Judge-ment Day for the Yankees, as they are scheduled to go to an arbitration hearing with Aaron Judge to find out whether the current AL MVP frontrunner will make $17 million or $21 million for the 2022 season.
If Boomer had his druthers, though, Judge would be locked up today…and not just for this year.
“The Yankees should show good faith. Forget the arbitration hearing and pay him the $21 million he wants,” Boomer said, “or screw that, I’d rip it up and start the contract right now. Pay him more this year, sign a long-term deal, make him happy and give a present to the Yankees fans.”
Boomer believed that the seven-year extension Judge was offered this spring was a fair deal, and to be quite honest, he’s not worried about the latter end of a deal of that length affecting the Yankees.
“I don’t give a crap about his age 37 or 38 seasons, I’m worried about the next five years,” Boomer said. “This guy is the face of your franchise, and you have to do everything you can to show your fans, and all the baseball fans, that you’re not going to mess around. This guy is having a career year, an MVP-type season. I don’t know what else a guy could do – and the way he plays and carries himself, that’s what a New York Yankee stands for.”
Gio understands injuries have been a thorn in Judge’s side, but is also hoping “the Yankees fold at this point” and Judge gets some sort of deal, depending on his willingness to talk long-term or not.
“I don’t know if Judge is willing to negotiate at this point…but if the Yankees keep trying to nickel and dime him over $4 million this season, that’s pretty bad,” Gio said. “I would imagine they agree on something, hopefully he gets his $21 million without having to go back and forth about whether or not he deserves it. The biggest thing is that this season, you see what Aaron Judge is capable of when he’s healthy. At the beginning of the season, that was one of the arguments against him, but now it’s time for the Yankees to get something done – because if he walks out that door next year, that’s a travesty.”
And then, imagine if any worry Judge had about his future went away?
“Number 99 is the reason people want to come to Yankee Stadium, and they’re coming in droves,” Boomer said. “This is a special year, and the Yankees are being led by a special player who deserves every dollar he’s asking for.”
“If they really go into this thing and try to knock him down to $17 million,” Gio added, “that could do irreparable damage.”
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