Report: Yankees offer Aaron Judge a deal worth roughly $300 million

The Yankees have made a massive offer to SF Giants free-agent target Aaron Judge. However, it should be far from insurmountable for San Francisco.

The SF Giants biggest competition to sign star outfielder Aaron Judge this offseason has made him a massive offer. According to a report by ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan, the New York Yankees have offered Judge a contract worth roughly $300 million. Judge is the top-ranked player in Giants Baseball Insider's free-agent rankings.

Could Aaron Judge lead the SF Giants to the playoffs in 2023 and beyond? (2022) / David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

"The New York Yankees, whose chief desire this offseason is to retain Judge, have an offer on the table in the neighborhood of eight years and $300 million and could increase it," Passan wrote. "Depending on how far the San Francisco Giants -- the other top suitor -- are willing to push the market."

Judge is coming off a record-setting MVP season. Already considered one of the best power hitters in the game, Judge set the American League single-season home run record with 62 homers in 2022. He also led the American League in nearly every offensive category with a .311/.425/.686 triple-slash. He also stole 13 bases in 16 attempts.

Judge has been heavily tied to the Giants for months now. The Giants are coming off a disappointing season, have seen significant payroll declines in recent years, which should make it easy to spend big in free agency. The addition of the permanent designated hitter in the National League should make it even easier to give out a massive long-term contract to a hitter.

Giants ownership has openly implied their interest in Judge this summer, and many pundits have speculated about his potential fit in San Francisco. ESPN's Tim Kurkjian called Judge "exactly" what the SF Giants need.

Passan added that the industry expectation is that Judge will eventually re-sign with the Yankees. However, he also pointed out that the last time the highest-paid free agent re-signed was 2016. Before that, it was 2009. The highest-paid free agent, which Judge will almost surely be this offseason, usually ends up signing with a new team.

While the Yankees roughly eight-year, $300 million offer to Aaron Judge is clearly competitive, it's far from something the SF Giants cannot top. In fact, expectations heading into the offseason were that Judge will end up signing for at least $320 million. Assuming Passan's report is correct, Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi now knows what his biggest competition to sign Judge has offered him. The ball is in his court now.