Aaron Judge, when healthy, is one of the best all-around players in the game, which he reaffirmed this past season by hitting 39 home runs and posting a .916 OPS in 148 games last season. But as he and the Yankees prepare for potential extension talks, it will be hard to find a parallel quite like Judge in determining his worth.
Judge, drafted by the Yankees in 2013, didn’t make his big-league debut until he was 24. His historic rookie campaign in 2017 came when he was already 25 years old, and, if he and the Yanks don’t come to a deal, would be a free agent for the first time at 30 years old. So, given his age and injury history, which significantly impacted his 2018, 2019, and 2020 seasons, what kind of paycheck could Judge get in negotiations?
“He is in a weird spot,” Tierney said during Friday’s show. “He’s not like [Ronald] Acuna, [Fernando] Tatis, or [Vladimir] Guerrero, and he’s not as accomplished as [Mike] Trout or [Bryce] Harper, who are in the same vicinity age-wise. It’s a unique negotiation.”
Judge is often placed in conversations as one of the league’s bright young stars, but he is only seen that way in terms of service time, not age. He has played five full seasons, and only two were uninterrupted by injury (his 2018 injury, a hit by pitch on the wrist that limited him to 112 games, can be chalked up to a fluke). Still, he is the face of the franchise and has been the most reliable bat in the lineup since he arrived in the big leagues, and the Yankees would have a hard time finding a replacement that brings the offensive and defensive skills that Judge does, not to mention his leadership.
But he may also have to face the reality that he is not among the most dynamic outfielders in the game, even the ones closer to his age.
“Bryce Harper, who just won the MVP, and Mike Trout, are actually younger than Aaron Judge,” Tiki said. “Judge is 30 in April, mike trout is 30 in July, and Bryce Harper will be 30 in October. It’s crazy to think about.
“The question becomes: is he on par with those guys? Perceptionally, I feel like we need to make him on par with those guys, but I don’t think he is. He hasn’t shown the consistency that they have over a decade. He’s been doing it for five years. You can pay Bryce Harper and Mike Trout these explosive contracts that go out until they’re 38, because they’ve shown a propensity to be healthy for a long amount of time.”
To be fair to Judge, Trout has had plenty of injury problems of his own in recent years. While still the best of this generation, a hamstring injury limited Trout to just 36 games last season, and missed 30 in 2019 after missing nearly 50 in 2017. But when healthy, Trout is the best in the business, and certainly earned his 12-year, $426 million deal. Meanwhile, Harper just won an MVP after leading the league in doubles and OPS, but Judge’s career slash line is right on par with Harper’s. In fact, Judge has a higher career OPS, though Harper has been in the league twice as long and has been mainly healthy, warranting his 13-year, $330 million deal.
“Strip away the money and the age and all that stuff…when Mike Trout is healthy, he’s Willie Mays,” Tierney said. “But do I think that Aaron Judge is right there with Bryce Harper and/or better? Absolutely.”
So, what kind of payday will Judge be looking at? It’s tough to say given the lack of historical comparisons, but if you ask Tierney, whatever the amount is, the check will be signed by Hal Steinbrenner and the Yankees.
“I think he’s gonna be a Yankee,” Tierney said. “I think this gets resolved.”
Follow WFAN's midday team on Twitter: @TikiandTierney, @TikiBarber, @BrandonTierney, and @TheHoffWFAN
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