Aaron Judge has been urged to step up to the plate this offseason as the New York Yankees target re-signing Juan Soto.
Soto is currently a free agent after spending last year with the Yankees, who suffered defeat in the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers, with as many as five big-market teams are believed to be in the running to sign him.
The Yankees are believed to have upped their offer this week in a move to fend off the competition and bring the left-hander back to the Bronx.
But star slugger Judge is playing an extremely passive role in his team’s efforts, revealing he wasn’t turning on the charm offense this offseason.
‘I think the best thing is to give those guys space,’ Judge said of Soto last week. ‘I talked to him all season. He knows how we feel about him. The most important thing is to let him do his thing… and come to the right decision for him and his family.’
Yet, Judge, who was named the Yankees’ 16th captain after inking a nine-year, $360-million contract in December 2022 following his AL record-breaking season, was slammed for his approach.
Aaron Judge (left) has been slammed for his ‘odd’ approach to Juan Soto’s (right) free agency
The Yankees are believed to have upped their off this week to bring the left-hander back
Former MLB reliever, Trevor May, who pitched for the Yankees’ cross-town rivals the Mets from 2021 to 2022, questioned the AL MVP’s tactics.
‘But if you want him, sometimes you just have to flex that muscle a bit because you’re Aaron Judge, man,’ May said on his podcast, Foul Territory.
‘You are the LeBron James of the game right now, so just be him and if that helps you and you get him that’s all that matters at the end of the day. It is interesting and kind of of odd that he was very adamant about his not talking to him, which seemed a little out of place with the situation.’
Judge has made it clear that he wants Soto back in Pinstripes next season after the pair led the Yankees to a a 94-68 record and the team’s first trip to the World Series since 2009.
The 6-foot-7 slugger also met with owner Hal Steinbrenner in Tampa this offseason to stress the importance of signing his fellow outfielder.
Yet, May still insisted that Judge needed to be more aggressive in his pursuit of the Dominican star.
‘What do we know about Aaron Judge?’ said May, who spent a majority of his career with the Twins. ‘He is not the most in-your-face, strong personality. I-am-going-to-insert-myself-into-this-situation guy. That doesn’t seem like something he’s comfortable or likes doing.
‘I understand that comes with the captain tag. That’s just what it feels like to me. He’s either lying through his teeth, which I don’t think he’d do. He’s not a guy that would blatantly say, ‘I did not call him’ and actually called him. He would dance around it a little bit more.’
The pair led the Yankees to a a 94-68 record and the first trip to the World Series since 2009
The Dodgers, the Boston Red Sox, the Toronto Blue Jays, the New York Mets are believed to be in the hunt for Soto alongside the Bronx Bombers.
‘The worst thing that could have happened for this negotiation was them losing this World Series and getting this close because it almost makes Juan Soto — like you have to, you have no choice but to go get him,’ May added of the Yankees.
‘And if you don’t it’s going to feel like the sky is falling, even though … it’s not like they can’t build a good team and add other pieces that makes them a division winner and go back.
‘But it would feel that way … this waiting game, there’s going to be a lot of anxiety building over time and if they do lose him and this disapproval of the fan will be loud, long and hard to ignore. They are stuck behind a rock and a hard place. But if it does happen, the clouds roll out and the sun is back out… I haven’t seen a truly George-version of Hal. It would be cool to see that for one offseason.’
But the Yankees are reportedly not going down without a fight.
In recent days last season’s World Series finalists are said to have upgraded their initial bid to bring Soto back in 2025 and beat the Mets to his signature, despite recently staging calls with star free agent starters Corbin Burnes and Max Fried among others.
Regardless, Soto – who hit 41 home runs, posted a .989 OPS and finished third in the MVP voting last season – remains their top target by some distance with Yankees officials solely focused on re-signing him.
No offers have yet been made to Burnes or Fried, who are likely seen as backup options should the 26-year-old opt to go elsewhere.
