As the MLB world descended on San Diego for the annual winter meetings, the most coveted free agent in the sport also headed south — to Tampa Bay.
Rumors continue to swirl out of Southern California about the bidding war for Aaron Judge’s services between the New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants and possibly other teams, but Judge himself was on the opposite side of the continent, taking in the Monday Night Football contest between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New Orleans Saints. Judge also spent some time conversing with Tom Brady before the game.
Brady, of course, knows a thing or two about being a megastar who switches teams in free agency. He signed with the Bucs in 2020 after 20 years (and six Super Bowl championships) with the New England Patriots and immediately led Tampa Bay to a Super Bowl title of its own.
Judge is still a hot topic in San Diego, however, as his representatives are reportedly still in communication with the Yankees and Giants. Judge reportedly already has a contract offer in hand for nine years and over $300 million, with the bidding expected to go even higher.
By comparison, Tampa Bay’s MLB team, the Rays, recently signed pitcher Zach Eflin to the largest contract given to a free agent in franchise history — a three-year, $40 million deal.
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Judge is coming off one of the greatest free-agency walk years in MLB history, in which he broke Roger Maris’s American League single-season home run record and won AL MVP. Judge finished the season with a .311 batting average, 62 home runs and 131 RBIs, leading the Yankees to an AL East division championship. The Yankees were swept in the American League Championship Series by the eventual World Series champion Houston Astros.
Judge also wore a Mike Evans jersey Monday as a show of gratitude after the Bucs receiver wore a Judge jersey when the slugger broke Maris’ record.
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