The Judge's Chambers is staying in the Bronx.
The Yankees and Aaron Judge agreed to a nine-year $360 million contract that will keep the Yankees slugger in the Bronx for the remainder of his career.
Word in social media circles form beat writers on the scene in San Diego during the Winter Meetings was that Judge wanted to be a Yankee, even as teams like the San Francisco Giants were in heavy pursuit.
According to Andy Martino of SNY, the Yankees were at eight-year, $320 million for Judge. There was a belief that the Giants and Padres were higher. So owner Hal Steinbrenner spoke to Judge over the phone and hammered the deal out, giving the slugger a ninth year at an additional $40 million.
The Yankees had to get the job done.
They could ill afford the public backlash should Judge had got up and walked away months after winning the League MVP and breaking the AL record and franchise record for home runs in a single season. The Yankeees need Judge, more than Judge needs the Yankees.
As its most dangerous and productive hitter, Judge fills a need in the middle of the Yankee order.
Judge now has a chance to become team captain, something that hasn't been awarded to a Yankee player since Derek Jeter. He is also the true face to the 2017 Baby Bombers that exploded on to the scene and signaled the new era of Yankee baseball.
Now Judge has to find a way to a World Series, and the Yankees have to find a way to win one -- sooner rather than later.
The focus now turns to pitching. The Yankees signed Tommy Khanle to bolster the bullpen. Look for New York to try find another starting pitcher as well in the coming days.
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