The private jet carrying Aaron Judge toward the West Coast was ripping through air space at approximately 500 mph on Tuesday afternoon, somewhere west of San Antonio, Texas. And the Yankees’ world had just been rocked by a Tweet.
Someone in the club’s suite at the Manchester Grand Hyatt alerted general manager Brian Cashman, relaying what seemed to be breaking news: Judge appeared to be headed to the Giants. Cashman first asked if it was from a verified account. The reporter had misspelled Judge’s first name as “Arson,” possibly an autocorrection, but it otherwise appeared to be legitimate.
Cashman pondered calling managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner, but he instead dialed Judge’s agent, Page Odle, who said no agreement had been reached. The mood in the war room dipped from code-red panic to general anxiety. The Yankees were still alive, but spirits were glum, and Cashman sensed that time was running short -- especially when word of San Francisco’s nine-year offer came in.
“He’s our franchise player, and we want to retain him,” Cashman said. “We were going to make every effort to do so. He’s not just an offensive force and one of the great hitters of this generation and maybe all time, but the defense is spectacular, too. He’s just a remarkably gifted player, and that’s why it’s going to take a remarkable contract to retain [him].”
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New York’s offer to Judge stood at eight years when Judge’s jet touched down in San Diego around 4:15 p.m. PT. The American League Most Valuable Player hustled to a clandestine three-hour meeting at Petco Park with the Padres, who surprised Judge and Odle by discussing numbers that would best the offers on the table from the Yankees and Giants: a staggering 10 years and $400 million.
Now, Judge’s decision grew more difficult. The Linden, Calif., native had made no secret that he’d dreamed of playing for the Giants, counting infielder Rich Aurilia and outfielder Barry Bonds as the favorite players of his childhood. If he wanted to follow in their footsteps, this was the chance. The Padres had the most years and dollars on the table. There were surely worse fates than spending the next decade in picture-perfect Southern California.
It was time, Cashman thought, to bring in his closer. Steinbrenner was nine hours ahead in Italy, where his vacation was interrupted by an appraisal of the situation. The Yankees were in the dark about where the Giants’ offer stood, but they suspected San Francisco had gone to a ninth year. They were wholly unaware of the Padres’ sneak attack. Steinbrenner reached Judge directly with a point-blank question: “Do you want to be a Yankee?”
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Judge affirmed that he did -- as he had maintained since Spring Training and the contract extension offer he had rejected -- but he wanted a ninth year. Steinbrenner -- who had told Judge in a face-to-face meeting that he and his family wanted Judge to play his entire career in pinstripes -- agreed. That was it: There would still need to be physicals taken and reams of paperwork sifted through, but Judge was staying with the Yankees.
Cashman stayed up through the night hammering out details, playing the role of air traffic controller between Steinbrenner and Odle, while Judge alerted a few teammates and prepared to board another plane bound for a Hawaiian vacation with his wife, Samantha. A news conference at Yankee Stadium will take place upon their return, where Judge could be named the club’s first captain since Derek Jeter.
“He’s one of the game’s great players,” manager Aaron Boone said. “[Tuesday] was a long, rough day in a lot of ways. [Retaining Judge] is an enormous boost, because it hopefully allows us to support around him, filling out our roster.”
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• What’s next for the Yankees after bringing Judge back to The Bronx? We’ve got a few ideas for their shopping list, beginning with lefty Carlos Rodón.
• Harrison Bader has been extremely visible as he enjoys his first offseason as a Yankee. That continued on Wednesday, when he helped accept donations for the club’s 28th annual Holiday Food Drive at Yankee Stadium.
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Each week, we invite newsletter readers to share a treasured Yankees-related story or anecdote. This week, we feature an unforgettable moment from R.J. Spina:
Without question, the most thrilling moment I have ever experienced at Yankee Stadium (or anywhere, for that matter) is when Don Mattingly ran out of the dugout and into the outfield prior to the first game of the 1995 AL Wild Card Series against the Mariners.
My father and I were seated down the first-base line. We were screaming into each other’s ears, and neither one of us could hear a word. It’s like all the love Yankee fans had for Donnie came pouring out at that moment. I will literally never forget that moment. Absolutely thrilling.
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We'd love to hear from you! Submissions for 'It's Fun To Be A Fan' can be emailed to bryan.hoch@mlb.com. |
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If Judge plays out the entirety of his new nine-year contract, he’ll have worn pinstripes for 16 seasons, taking him to age 39. Who is the Yankees’ longest-tenured player?
A. Mickey Mantle
B. Mariano Rivera
C. Derek Jeter
D. Yogi Berra
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On this date in 1966, the Yankees traded outfielder Roger Maris to the Cardinals for third baseman Charley Smith. The trade was a flop for the Bombers; Maris, a two-time AL Most Valuable Player Award winner, rebounded from injury-marred seasons to help St. Louis win the 1967 World Series and the '68 National League pennant. Smith, a 10-year big league veteran, batted .224 in 181 games as a Yankee. |
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C. Jeter
Jeter spent 20 seasons with the Yankees from 1995-2014, donning the pinstripes for the first time as a 20-year-old. The Hall of Fame shortstop collected 3,465 hits -- the sixth most all time -- was a 14-time All-Star and anchored the Core Four that led the Yankees to five World Series championships.
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