Dodgers Rumors: Aaron Judge Turns Down Massive Deal from Yanks, LA is a Team to Watch

Free-agent outfielder Aaron Judge had a huge offer to return to the Yankees but appears to be seeking something huger, and the Dodgers remain on the periphery.

As the Winter Meetings hit their stride in San Diego, there's a growing sentiment that the name — attached to the biggest person — on the free-agent market might come off the market this week. And while the Dodgers aren't likely to be the team to ultimately sign Aaron Judge, they remain on the fringes.

According to a new report from MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, the Judge sweepstakes are mostly down to two teams — but not entirely.

The Yankees — whose most recent offer to Judge was for eight years and nearly $300 million — remain the favorites to retain the slugger, though the Giants are still contenders to land Judge. Aside from those two clubs, the Dodgers are a team to watch, while the popular “mystery team” is always a possible twist to this saga. ...

Many industry insiders believe Judge will sign during the Winter Meetings.

The Dodgers will always be at least a team to watch in a scenario like this, because they have a lot of money and a history of trying to make their team better. But they also have a pretty proven track record of not giving ultra-long contracts to guys in their 30s, so unless things get down to the five- or six-year range, they'll probably remain a team to watch and not a real player.

It's notable that Judge didn't jump at the eight-year offer from the Yankees, with an average annual value of $37.5 million over a longterm deal. Of course, when you have two teams that are both reported to be committed to not being outbid, it makes sense to let them bid against each other for a while. We'll see if San Francisco comes back with more years and/or a higher AAV.

The Dodgers are a team to watch, but overall this should be fun to watch.