Yankees Willing to Restart Aaron Judge Negotiations

The outfielder made it clear that he did not want contract talks to become an in-season distraction.

If Aaron Judge were to reconsider his deadline, the Yankees are prepared to meet him at the negotiating table.

New York is willing to restart extension talks with the slugger at any time, according to NJ.com’s Brendan Kuty. Judge imposed an Opening Day closing date for such talks to avoid any in-season distractions. He ultimately turned down a seven-year, $213.5 million deal. Yankees GM Brian Cashman publicized those terms just before the first pitch of the season.

Cashman more recently decided against publicly discussing anything related to Judge’s future. The right fielder expressed displeasure with Cashman publicizing New York’s offer the day that it happened. Cashman, speaking on May 11, said he was not aware of Judge’s disapproval, nor has he felt any ill will from the 30-year-old since then.

"We're not going to talk about it now going forward,” Cashman said of talks with Judge. “Whether that means we're not going to talk, I'm not saying that, but we're not going to talk about it (publicly). But he's been great. But that's no surprise because he is great."

So far this season, Judge’s performance has been on-pace with his historic rookie year in 2017. He is slashing .315/.384/.692 over 34 games with an MLB-best 14 home runs. He also has 30 RBI, which ranks third.

There is nothing stopping Judge and the Yankees from resuming talks, other than his own personal preferences. He has maintained that he wants to stay with the club long-term, and the team will have time to negotiate with him before free agency opens this coming offseason. Judge, however, could choose to test the open market, especially if he continues to stay healthy while producing like an MVP candidate.

Judge and the Yankees are scheduled to meet for arbitration on June 22, as Judge’s 2022 salary has yet to be determined after the lockout pushed hearings into the regular season. The Yankees filed at $17 million. Judge responded with $21 million.

His performance this season cannot factor into the hearing, per rules agreed to by MLB and the MLBPA.

MORE:

• Yankees' Catcher Ben Rortvedt Undergoes Knee Surgery
• 'Upset' About Baltimore's New Dimensions, Aaron Judge Misses Out on First Three-Homer Game
• Derek Dietrich Earns Promotion to Yankees' Triple-A Affiliate

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