Aaron Judge contract extension: Brian Cashman announces no deal with Yankees superstar

Joe Rivera

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Aaron Judge contract extension: Brian Cashman announces no deal with Yankees superstar image

Mother Nature must be a Yankee fan.

The Yankees and Aaron Judge are at something of a standstill: The outfielder has made it clear that he would prefer to sign a contract extension prior to the start of the 2022 MLB season.

MORE: MLB Opening Day Power Rankings — Where do Yankees stand?

After the Opening Day deadline was pushed back 24 hours thanks to a rainout, Judge is still without a new deal heading into the start of the Yankees season, casting doubt onto whether or not a new contract will get done.

That's bad news for the Yankees, Judge and their fans (including Mother Nature).

Here's what you need to know about the stand-off between the Bombers and their superstar outfielder:

Aaron Judge contract extension updates

April 8: Yankees GM Brian Cashman announces just hours before first pitch that no deal was reached with Aaron Judge, leaving 2022 as the potential last season the outfielder will be in pinstripes. 

Cashman says that the Yankees' offer was $30.5 million per season, beginning in 2023. 

April 8: ESPN's Jeff Passan reports that, unless there's a "significant change" in the coming hours, there will be no extension between Judge and the Yankees by first pitch today.

Adding to the speculation surrounding a contract extension for Judge, general manager Brian Cashman is set to speak with the media at 11:15 a.m.

The New York Post's Jon Heyman reports that the Yankees and Judge were still negotiating on a contract extension just hours before the Yankees were set to take the field for their season opener against the Red Sox.

Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports the average annual value of the offer is "at least" $28 million with a total value "in excess of $200 million." That AAV would put him behind Mike Trout ($35 million) and Mookie Betts ($30 million).

Judge told reporters before the opener that he considers Friday a firm deadline to complete an extension. 

Without a contract extension, Judge is set to become a free agent following the 2022 season. Judge and the Yankees have yet to decide on a contract for the 2022 season, as well, with the two sides offering dueling numbers for the final year of arbitration.

Earlier in the offseason, Judge made it clear that he would have liked to get a deal done by the start of the season.

"If we're not close by then (Opening Day), what's the point of communicating in the season?," Judge said recently.

Why haven't the Yankees extended Aaron Judge yet?

There are a few reasons why the Yankees and Judge haven't agreed on a contract yet:

  • Age: Judge turns 30 on April 26, which may deter the Yankees from wanting to give him a lengthy contract that pays him late into his late 30s.
  • Selectiveness with money: While New York are still big-time spenders — they rank third in payroll entering Opening Day — they have been more selective in who they pay and when they pay players in recent years. 
  • Injury concerns: Judge's durability has been a point of emphasis for some. Since his first full season (2017), Judge has played in 140 or more games just once, in 2021 (excluding the shortened 2020 season). In 2020, of a possible 60 games, Judge played in just 20 games while dealing with calf and rib injuries.

Joe Rivera

Joe Rivera Photo

Joe Rivera is in his seventh year with The Sporting News, handling NFL, MLB and some things pro wrestling. A proud-ish Rutgers University graduate, Rivera combines a new-school flair with an old-school soul. He loves dingers, wrestling, comic books, movies, music and really bad puns. He is also a card-carrying BBWAA member and teaches Multimedia Sports Reporting at his alma mater.

You can find him and tweet him @JoeRiveraSN, if you're into that sort of thing.