After a year of speculation about his future—along with a monumental 62-home run season—Aaron Judge is staying with the Yankees. The slugger chose to remain in New York, deflecting overtures from two franchises from his native California to do so, the Giants and Padres.
Judge is set to sign a nine-year, $360 million deal after his American League MVP campaign with New York. The 30-year-old becomes one of the highest-paid players in all of baseball with the mammoth deal. He made $34.3 million in his first seven years with the Yankees, topping out with the $19 million he and the club agreed to for 2022 to avoid arbitration.
At $360 million, Judge’s deal is the third-biggest in baseball in total compensation, behind the Angels’ Mike Trout and Dodgers’ Mookie Betts. Here are the 10 biggest contracts in the sport after Judge’s new deal, per Spotrac:
1. Mike Trout, OF, Angels: 12 years, $426.5 million through 2031
2. Mookie Betts, OF, Dodgers: 12 years, $365 million through 2033
3. Aaron Judge, OF, Yankees: nine years, $360 million through 2032
4. Francisco Lindor, SS, Mets: 10 years, $341 million through 2032
5. Fernando Tatis Jr., Padres: 14 years, $340 million through 2035
6. Bryce Harper, OF, Phillies: 13 years, $330 million through 2032
T-7. Giancarlo Stanton, DH, Yankees: 13 years, $325 million through 2029
T-7. Corey Seager, SS, Rangers: 10 years, $325 million through 2032
9. Gerrit Cole, SP, Yankees: nine years, $324 million through 2029
T-10. Manny Machado, 3B, Padres: 10 years, $300 million through 2029
T-10. Trea Turner, SS, Phillies: 11 years, $300 million through 2034
In terms of average annual value, Judge also ranks third, behind two legendary pitchers that he’ll face in the Subway Series. He also takes over as the position player with the highest annual salary in the sport.
