SAN DIEGO — Aaron Judge is ready to spend the rest of his career in the Bronx, and according to CC Sabathia, he should be.
Judge’s former Yankees teammate believed the outfielder had a chance to be elsewhere in free agency, so he was relieved Wednesday when Judge agreed to a nine-year, $360 million contract.
“I’m glad the drama is over,” Sabathia said at the winter meetings at the Grand Hyatt. “I didn’t see him going anywhere else, but you never know in free agency.”
Sabathia knew the umpire had visited the Giants in San Francisco and heard the Padres were interested.
“They were legitimate options, but nothing compared to being a Yankee,” Sabathia said. “When I was a free agent, other places like the Dodgers or Anaheim could have persuaded me. I didn’t understand what it meant to be a Yankee. But Aaron came up in that environment. He knows it and he will grow up [playing] As a Yankee. There is no other place for the game.”
No more for the judge.
Judge suggested that general partner Hal Steinbrenner increase the Yankees’ final offer to one year and $40 million compared to the Giants.
Only he knows if the judge is actually ready to leave the Bronx.
“I didn’t talk [Judge]but if the Yankees didn’t go eight years and San Diego or San Francisco went nine or 10 years, I think he would have recovered,” Sabathia said. “I think he did a great job of catching and getting as much money as possible.”
Sabathia was also pleased to have the deal done at this point in the season, apparently giving the Yankees and general manager Brian Cash plenty of time to build the rest of the roster around Judge.
“Now they’ve done it here and can do twists and other moves,” Sabathia said. “And now they know he’s back.”
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