The Yankees front office will no longer be talking publicly about Aaron Judge’s precarious contract situation, said general manager Brian Cashman.
“We’re not going to talk about it now going forward,” Cashman told reporters on Wednesday. “Whether that means we’re not going to talk, I’m not saying that, but we’re not going to talk about it [in public].”
Judge, who declined an 8 year, $230.5 million extension offer this offseason during a highly-publicized negotiating process, is set to become a free agent after the year for the first time in his career.
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After a red-hot start to the season, where he’s posted a .290/.356/.626 statline, many spectators have speculated that he could command more than the offer he reneged on.
“He’s been great. But that’s no surprise, because he is great,” Cashman said.
The All Star outfielder continued his dominant performance with a 3-run walk-off homer to beat the Blue Jays on Tuesday night in the Bronx. He leads the MLB in homer runs with 10, heading into Wednesday’s contests.
Judge is the 4th most likely candidate to win AL MVP, according to the popular betting site Caesars Sportsbook, which lists his odds as +850 (meaning bettors would win $8.50 for every $1 wagered).
Earlier in the season, Judge expressed his disappointment with the failed negotiations, but said he would simply focus on the current season.
“I’m disappointed, but we weren’t able to agree on an extension,” said Judge. “I block it out. I’m not a free agent — I’m not a free agent searching for a job. I know, no matter what, I will be playing here for the Yankees for this whole year.”
