Aaron Judge lands in San Francisco for meetings with the SF Giants
The SF Giants will have a chance to put their money where their mouth is very soon with free-agent target Aaron Judge. Judge was caught on video after landing in San Francisco on Monday. He is expected to take meetings with the team this week, according to a video from MLB Network. The New York Yankees star is the top-ranked free agent this offseason, per Giants Baseball Insider's rankings.
With Judge in view, the cameraperson asks, “Aaron Judge in San Francisco. What are you doing in the city?” He responds, “Just visiting some family and friends, that’s about it,” winking at the camera as he says it.
The cameraperson followed up, “Oh yeah, any fun plans?” Judge declined to elaborate further, and says, “We got something. Have a good one!”
Judge, who had a monumental season this year with the New York Yankees, netted 28 of 30 first-place votes to receive the AL MVP award last week, and he certainly earned it. Known for his power hitting, the six-foot-seven outfielder set the American League single-season home run record with 62 blasts. He also led the league in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, OPS+, runs, RBI, walks, and total bases. He played in 157 games, stole 13 bases in 16 attempts, and finished with a .311/.425/.686 triple-slash.
Judge has been heavily tied to the Giants. The Giants, who are coming off a disappointing .500 season, are rumored to be looking for at least one consistent hitter to anchor their lineup. With the permanent DH across both leagues and some time for other teams to observe the Giants’ platooning strategy, it has become clear to many that something needs to change.
To fans, that change should come in the form of Aaron Judge. The good news? Giants ownership has openly implied their interest in Judge, and many pundits have speculated about his potential fit in San Francisco. ESPN's Tim Kurkjian called Judge "exactly" what the SF Giants need.