Aaron Judge likely to be pursued by hometown Giants

LAS VEGAS – There are just a handful of clubs who have the financial muscle to compete with the Yankees in the Aaron Judge sweepstakes.

The Giants, the team Judge grew up rooting for, seem to be one of those teams.

And their president of baseball operations, Farhan Zaidi, said Wednesday that Giants ownership as of now hasn’t laid down any monetary restraints that will keep him from going after the elite players on this year’s free agent market, a group that includes Judge.

“We made clear our desire to improve this offseason,” said Zaidi, whose club went a disappointing 81-81 this season after its surprising 107-55 campaign in 2021. “I don’t think, from a financial standpoint, there’s anybody that would be out of our capability to meet what we expect the contract demands will be. And then it will just be a question of whether there’s mutual interest.”

It is far too early in the process to say how much mutual interest Judge may have, but if there is one team that scares the Yankees – who still are seen in the industry as the heavy favorite to sign the outfielder – it's the Giants when it comes to Judge’s free agency.

As Zaidi pointed out, ownership has given him freedom to pursue players in what the Giants executive described several times as the “top of the free agent market” after a rough year that saw attendance and local TV ratings fall.  

Additionally, there’s the element of Judge growing up in nearby Linden, Calif. a fervent Giants fan.

Zaidi declined to get into specifics regarding Judge – Zaidi, like Yankees GM Brian Cashman on Tuesday, no-commented when asked if he had touched base with Judge’s representation this week – but spoke generally of the positives of pursuing players with Bay Area ties.

(Cashman did confirm Wednesday afternoon that he in fact has been in touch with Judge’s representation this week but offered no specifics).

“We’re not going to comment on specific players,” Zaidi said with a smile when asked about Judge.

Zaidi, however, said “absolutely” he’s a fan of “hometown” players.

“That’s been a big part of what we’ve done over the last few years, both in the draft and in free agency,” he continued. “That’s always something we look at because we just think guys that have Bay Area ties are going to be more invested and engaged with the organization.”

Zaidi added later: “For the most part, guys that were born, grew up in the Bay Area are really passionate about it and have a lot of enthusiasm about playing for the Giants.”

For his part, Judge has spoken almost from the time of his breakout American League Rookie of the Year in 2017 about his desire to be “a Yankee for life.”

But Judge, not surprisingly named Wednesday as the 2022 AL Hank Aaron Award winner, has also shown no indications he’s afraid to explore his options.

“I’ve been clear about that since I first wore the pinstripes,” Judge said after the season of wanting to stay with the Yankees. “But we couldn’t get something done before spring training and I’m a free agent and we’ll see what happens.”

Judge, of course, turned down the Yankees’ $213.5 million extension offer made just before Opening Day and came through with one of the best years any player in any sport has had in his walk-year. Judge, who in addition to setting the new AL single-season home run record with 62 also hit .311 with 131 RBIs, set himself up for a payday that will be significantly more than the offer he turned down, the final contract number all but certain to have a “3” at the start of it (as in $300 million-plus).

The number of teams willing to swim in those kind of financial waters are few, but Zaidi said nothing Wednesday suggesting the Giants won’t be one of them.

“Right now, our goal is to have a lot targets that can impact this team in a positive way,” Zaidi said. “I would be disappointed if we get to Opening Day and we don’t feel like our roster is significantly improved. And certainly free agency, and the top of the free agent market, is a really appealing way to do it. But there are other ways, too.”