New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge shared advice with All-Star outfielder Juan Soto about handling a contract year, drawing from his own experience. In a piece by ESPN’s Jorge Castillo, Judge revealed what he told Soto earlier this spring as the slugger approached free agency. Judge famously turned down a seven-year, $213.5M contract extension from the Yankees before the 2022 season. He went on to break the American League’s single-season home run record with 62 homers, eventually signing a nine-year, $360M deal to stay in New York.
Becoming the Yankees’ 16th captain was a proud moment for Judge, who has spent his entire career with the team. Soto, on the other hand, was traded to the Yankees from the San Diego Padres in December 2023, with no previous ties to the organization. The 25-year-old has since had a career-best season and could potentially command a record-setting $600M contract over 12 years when he hits free agency, with the New York Mets rumored to be a top bidder.
Aaron Judge
Soto will face a tough decision between securing a historic contract or accepting less money to build a legacy with the Yankees. For now, his focus remains on helping the first-place Yankees (83-61) in their pursuit of a World Series appearance, something the team hasn’t achieved since 2009.
“Who doesn’t want to be part of Yankees history? The only way to do that is by being a champion,” Soto recently commented. Whether Soto would give the Yankees a discount to chase a ring if they fall short this season remains uncertain.
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