Yankees Will Rival Team Who 'Will Not Be Outbid' In Aaron Judge Sweepstakes

Judge's free agency already is shaping up to be one for the ages

Scott Neville | Oct 25, 2022

Yankees Will Rival Team Who 'Will Not Be Outbid' In Aaron Judge Sweepstakes /

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It's been just two days since the New York Yankees season came to an abrupt end and there already are two West Coast teams reportedly situating themselves to go all-out for Aaron Judge after a historic season.

The biggest threat reportedly is the San Francisco Giants, who have money to spend and are stationed less than two hours away from Judge's hometown.

NJ.com's Randy Miller spoke with someone "with knowledge of the Giants' thinking" after meeting with members of the franchise's ownership group.

“Judge is at the top of the Giants list and they won’t be underbid,” the person said. “If they miss out, it won’t be because of money.”

"The person added that the Giants planned to entice Judge further by signing at least two-high priced free agents. 'The Giants are not going to stop with Judge,' the person said. 'They have so much money freed up.'"

“They need a draw with the Dodgers and Padres in their division spending big money on big names,” the person said. “I know the Giants also are feeling pressure with the Warriors’ basketball team doing so well and spending big in the same market.”

If any team has the ability to entice Judge with off-the-field perks, the Giants would be among the top suiters. If they end up being the highest bidder as well, the Yankees might need a new right fielder.

Another thorn in the Yankees' side could be the Los Angles Dodgers, who can offer up a better chance to win a World Series than any franchise, except maybe the Houston Astros.

It appears that having superstars Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman locked into their lineup after a 111-win season is not enough to satisfy the Dodgers' brass.

"According to sources, the Dodgers could become serious players in this offseason’s Aaron Judge sweepstakes, a move that would potentially result in a position change for Betts, a six-time All-Star outfielder," MLB.com's Mark Feinsand wrote Monday.

Betts reportedly would be open to a position switch for the right reason, and the acquisition of Judge would seemingly fit the bill.

Those reports come not long after The New York Post's Jon Heyman revealed the three teams the Yankees expect to oppose in the running for Judge -- both the Giants and Dodgers were listed.

It's going to be a wild free-agent adventure for Judge should he bypass the exclusive window with the Yankees and open up the entire league to bid on his services.

More Aaron Judge News:

- Aaron Judge Gives Ominous Response When Asked About Future With Yankees

- Four Teams Reportedly Poised To Make Serious Run For Yankees' Aaron Judge

- How Much Will Yankees' Aaron Judge Sign For? MLB Agents, Executives Weigh In

- Yankees' Aaron Judge Hints At Which Team He Will Play For Next Season

Published Oct 25, 2022

SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville covers the Boston Red Sox for Sports Illustrated's new page "Inside The Red Sox." Before starting "Inside The Red Sox", Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer. His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join the Sports Illustrated Media Group in his current endeavor as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox." The successful launch and quick rise of "Inside The Red Sox" led to Neville joining the Baseball Essential ownership group, a national baseball site under SIMG. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu