Report: Judge expected to sign record deal at winter meetings
Michael Bradburn
Superstar slugger and reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge is expected to land a record-setting contract by average annual value during Major League Baseball's winter meetings, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan.
The current record annual salary for a position player is held by Los Angeles Angels superstar Mike Trout, who earns $35.5 million per year.
The New York Yankees, with whom Judge has played his entire seven-year career thus far, reportedly have an eight-year offer on the table worth around $300 million, Passan adds. That would break Trout's record by $2 million per year ($37.5 million) but finish well shy of the total commitment made by the Angels, which was an 11-year, $426.5-million extension.
The San Francisco Giants are considered the other top suitor, while the Los Angeles Dodgers have also been rumored as a potential landing spot.
Judge, 30, is a four-time All-Star and three-time Silver Slugger coming off his best season, during which he hit an AL-record 62 homers. He also came close to winning the Triple Crown, with an MLB-leading 131 RBIs but ultimately ranked second in the Junior Circuit with a .311 AVG.
The winter meetings are set to begin Sunday, Dec. 4, in San Diego and run through Wednesday, Dec. 7.
A radical remodel of local sports TV may come sooner than expected
Braves' Grissom: 'Not trying to fill nobody's shoes' at shor...
Report: Giants agree to deal with Roberto Perez
Elias believes Orioles can make playoffs in 2023
Phillies sign Josh Harrison to reported 1-year, $2M deal
Look: Verlander, Alcantara accept error-filled Cy Young trop...
Rockies' Monfort calls out Padres spending, roster construct...
Report: Rays, Yandy Diaz closing in on 3-year, $24M extensio...
Ortiz concerned about Red Sox lineup behind Devers: 'I'm pit...
Rangers sign Frazier, Duffy to minor-league contracts
Nationals sign Alex Colome to minor-league contract
Report: Mets agree to 4-year, $50M deal with batting champ M...
Rays, Fairbanks agree to 3-year, $12M extension
Braves sign Snitker to extension through 2025