Last Updated on 11/02/2022 by てんしょく飯
The World Series continues in Major League Baseball. After the summit game between the Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies is over, the Stove League will finally begin. While the departure of big-name stars is already attracting attention, Aaron Judge (New York Yankees), who is expected to be a free agent this winter, is providing the biggest buzz.
After declining a massive 7-year, $230 million (¥28.5 billion) extension offer, Judge has been performing at a historic high this season.
The 30-year-old hit home runs at a rate that even broke the major league record (73 by Barry Bonds) in the summer, and eventually set a new American League record with 62 homers. In addition to winning the double crown for home runs and runs batted in, he also achieved high averages in batting average (.311) and OPS (1.111), demonstrating the true value of the “monster slugger.
Judge is one of the leading candidates for MVP in the American League. He finished his FA year with an impressive performance that could be called the peak of his career, and many teams were coveted by the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers, who are based in his hometown, as well as the Mets, a “rich team” in New York, to acquire him. The Yankees, of course, are not interested in him.
Of course, the Yankees’ top priority this offseason will be to keep their absolute best player from leaving the team. On the other hand, it is also true that the Yankees need to consider a “Plan B” in the event that they are unable to secure a contract extension.
Philip Martinez, who used to work as a producer for SNY, a local New York broadcasting station, offered an interesting opinion on the controversial issue of the slugger’s future.
In a column published in Yahoo! Sports on November 1, Martinez asked, “What should the Yankees do if Judge doesn’t stay? That’s a horrible thing to think about, but it’s probably on Steinbrenner’s (owner) and Cashman’s (GM) mind,” he reported. He added, “They may decide to replace him with a bigger name. Yes, Shohei Ohtani,” he asserted.
First of all, no one can fill the void left by Judge’s absence. That is to say, no one can replicate the same level of productivity on the field, but also in terms of name value, recognition in the baseball world, and friendliness with the fans.
But Ohtani could turn a difficult situation around. He is a dual threat on the ground and would be a great addition to the team. He is also the most well-known player in the world today, and his name value is 100 times that of Hideki Matsui and Masahiro Tanaka, who generate a lot of buzz.
At this point, however, acquiring Ohtani, who will become a free agent after the 2023 season, would require a trade that would require a significant return. Furthermore, if a large contract were to be signed after 2023, it would be an expense that would be unmatched by retaining Judge.
However, Martinez, who surmised that “a trade is not as hard as this summer’s deadline,” concluded.
‘To get Ohtani to wear the pinstriped uniform for a long time, it would take eight to ten years and a $50 million annual salary.’ But if the Yankees are serious about easing the shock of losing Judge, acquiring him makes sense.”
First, the Yankees will do everything in their power to convince Judge to stay. Will the Yankees make a move this winter to acquire the “one and only two-sport warrior”?
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