Aaron Judge Receives Free Agency Advice From Former Yankees Star

Robinson Canó and Max Scherzer both gave some advice to Aaron Judge as he navigates his current contract situation.

New York Yankees superstar outfielder Aaron Judge is rolling the dice in 2022.

Judge turned down the Yankees’ seven-year, $213.5 million contract extension offer prior to Opening Day. Instead, the three-time All-Star is betting on himself this season in a contract year.

Nine years ago, former Yankee Robinson Canó was in a similar position. In the spring of 2013, Cano rejected an extension offer from the Yankees, opting to test free agency after the season.

As a result, Canó cashed in by signing a 10-year, $240 million deal with the Seattle Mariners in free agency. The Yankees’ final-and-best offer to retain Cano was seven-years, $175 million.

Having been in Judge’s shoes in the past, Canó had some advice to offer the Yankees’ slugger, who has emerged as the face of the Bronx Bombers since breaking out in 2017.

“This is the only chance he has to get his max,” Canó told The Athletic. “He has been great for the city. He deserves to get what he wants … At the end of the day, all these years, he’s given a discount to the team. He wants to stay there. He just has to focus and play and hopefully have a great season this year.”

Yankees' Aaron Judge: 'I Don't Mind Going to Free Agency'

Judge is about to hit free agency before his age-31 season, which was the same for Canó, who was still able to get the contract he wanted.

Future Hall of Fame pitcher Max Scherzer is an additional example of a player, who bet on himself when he was around the same age as Judge and Canó. Scherzer turned down a six-year, $144 million extension with the Detroit Tigers ahead of the 2014 season.

As a result, the righty posted an 18-5 record and 3.15 ERA in his contract year, which helped him earn a seven-year, $210 million deal in free agency with the Washington Nationals after the season.

“To be able to actually have an earning power in free agency is very rare,” Scherzer told The Athletic. “When you have the chance to have the hammer and go use it, you want to go use it. It’s tough to give that away.”

Judge finished fourth in the American League MVP race in 2021 after slashing .287/.373/.544 with a .916 OPS, 39 home runs and 98 RBIs for the Yankees in 148 games. However, he has dealt with injury issues in the past, having only appeared in more than 115 games in two out of four full seasons since 2017. Judge also missed 32 games in the Covid-shortened 60-game campaign in 2020 as well. 

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