New York Yankees

The MLB Players Association reportedly requested a league investigation to determine whether there was "improper communication" between the New York Yankees and New York Mets regarding the potential free-agent pursuit of outfielder Aaron Judge.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported Wednesday the union referenced a Nov. 3 article by SNY's Andy Martino, which said the Mets wouldn't engage in a "high-profile bidding war" with the Yankees because of a "mutually respectful relationship" between team owners Steve Cohen and Hal Steinbrenner.

"The only way people involved can see the Mets changing course and pursuing Judge would be if the Yankees somehow declared themselves out of the bidding," Martino wrote.

If the Players Association can prove the Mets' reluctance to bid directly against the Yanks damaged Judge's free-agent market, it would be a violation of MLB's collective bargaining agreement, per Rosenthal.

The Mets have emerged as one of the league's biggest spenders since Cohen purchased majority control of the franchise in November 2020. Their current projected payroll for 2023 ($184.7 million) is the highest figure in MLB by more than $20 million, per Spotrac.

So it's important for top-tier free agents like Judge to at least have the threat of a Mets bid as part of the process to maximize their leverage. If the New York teams aren't willing to battle each other, it limits the upside of the slugger's likely nine-figure contract.

Judge, who set the new American League record with 62 home runs in 2022, hasn't shed much light on his free-agent foray throughout the year.

"That's all going to run through my agent," Judge told reporters in October after the Yankees were eliminated from the playoffs. "I haven't even thought about the next step yet. But like I said, we've got time to figure it out. I've never been in this spot before."

Along with the Yankees and Mets, Jim Bowden of The Athletic listed the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants and Chicago White Sox as the other potential suitors, saying it's hard to see any of the other 25 teams having a "legitimate chance" in the sweepstakes.

If there's only five clubs seriously involved, taking the Mets out of the equation represents a 20 percent drop in interest for Judge's representatives to work with on the market.

Should a formal grievance be filed by the Players Association, an arbitrator would hear the case, and Judge could be awarded "triple damages" if collusion is proved, per Rosenthal.

The Judge situation will likely make or break the Yankees' offseason. He carried the team's offense for extended stretches during the 2022 campaign, and there's no option, internal or external, who can replace his production barring a massive blockbuster trade.

So there's a strong chance Steinbrenner's club was likely to match any offer given to the 30-year-old four-time All-Star regardless of the surrounding circumstances, but more limited competition could prove quite valuable in terms the final contract cost.

It makes the collusion case an interesting subplot to what's already one of the winter's top stories.

Veteran first baseman Anthony Rizzo and the New York Yankees have agreed to a two-year, $34 million contract, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic and Jack Curry of Yes Network.

Curry reported the deal includes a $17 million club option for a third season.

Rizzo had declined the one-year, $19.65 million qualifying offer, which made him a free agent.

The news comes after the 33-year-old became a free agent when he exercised an opt-out clause in his contract with the Yankees for 2023. He had signed a two-year, $32 million extension after coming over in a trade from the Chicago Cubs during the 2021 campaign.

The three-time All-Star put together a respectable 2022 campaign with the Yankees, which was his first full season with the franchise. He slashed .224/.338/.480 with 32 home runs and 75 RBI in 130 games.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone made it clear that he wanted the club to re-sign Rizzo while speaking on The Michael Kay Show in November (h/t Sports Illustrated's Max Goodman):

"He's been everything we could have hoped for. He's been an amazing person in our clubhouse. An amazing teammate, an amazing leader, very productive on the field. I think very much cut out to play for our team, for the Yankees. I think he handles all that goes with playing here as one of the premium players and leaders so well. So yeah, I would love to have him back, of course."

Before being traded to the Yankees, Rizzo spent 10 seasons with the Cubs, helping them win the World Series in 2016. In addition, he won four Gold Gloves and a Silver Slugger during that tenure.

Had he signed elsewhere, the Yankees would have been scrambling to find a player who could replicate his power at the plate.

Now that Rizzo is staying, the front office can shift its focus to other areas, such as signing Aaron Judge as well as at third base, shortstop and pitching.

The New York Yankees' captaincy has been vacant since Derek Jeter's retirement in 2014, but that could soon change.

Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner told YES Network he would consider making Aaron Judge a captain if the slugger re-signs with the team this offseason.

There have been only 11 recognized captains in Yankees history. Jeter was the longest-reigning captain in franchise history, earning the "C" in 2003 and keeping it for 12 seasons. Judge would join a list of Yankees legends that includes Jeter, Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.

“I think I'm able to say that if he's back here next year, he's our captain, he's the next captain,” Yankees pitcher Nestor Cortes told reporters last month. “We follow everything he does. He leads by example. He's not really a guy that comes out and screams at anybody. But if he has to, that's his job. I think he's earned that right to keep us in check. What allows him to be so great, I feel like, is he's a great baseball player, but he's a better human. He treats everybody the same. He follows up on everybody every day. That's what allows him to be who he is.”

Judge is coming off one of the greatest power-hitting seasons in MLB history, setting an AL record with 62 home runs and driving in 131 runs. He will almost certainly be named the AL MVP on Thursday, making him the first Yankee to win MVP since Alex Rodriguez in 2007.

Much like Rodriguez 15 years ago, Judge is set to be a free agent following his finest year in pinstripes. Judge declined a seven-year, $213.5 million contract extension before the 2022 season and stands to see a nine-figure increase in offers on the open market. There is a strong chance Judge winds up beating the nine-year, $324 million franchise-record contract signed by teammate Gerrit Cole in December 2019.

That said, the Yankees are going to face fierce competition for Judge. The San Francisco Giants, located just two hours away from Judge's hometown of Sacramento, are among the teams expected to have wide-open pocketbooks as free agency ramps up.

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told reporters on Wednesday he's been "listening and engaging" on potential trade talks this offseason, including interest from around baseball regarding the team's current infield depth.

"We don't have a right fielder," he added of the team's needs. "We don't have a left fielder. I'd always like to improve the pitching. We have some kids pushing in on the infield, so there'll be, I would think, probably a lot of exciting opportunities that could play out next spring in the middle infield."

The right-field vacancy comes down to the pending free agency of superstar slugger Aaron Judge, whose decision this winter will have a huge impact on the team's future plans.

"Optimally, if you could wave a magic wand, we would secure Aaron Judge and retain him and have him signed and happy and in the fold as soon as possible," Cashman told reporters. "But he's a free agent. He's earned the right to be a free agent. So he'll dictate the dance steps."

And he'll have plenty of dance partners after an epic 2022 season that saw him hit .311 with 62 homers, 131 RBI, 133 runs, 16 stolen bases and a 1.111 OPS. Judge carried New York's offense for long stretches this season, and his departure would be a huge blow.

The Yankees already have a projected payroll of $181 million for next season, per Spotrac, and a deal for Judge isn't going to be cheap, alongside other needs in left field (Andrew Benintendi is a free agent) and potentially first base (Anthony Rizzo is a free agent) and the rotation (Aroldis Chapman, Zack Britton and Chad Green are hitting free agency).

Add in the possibility of chasing one of the elite starters on the market, including Justin Verlander, Carlos Rodón and Jacob deGrom, and the wage sheet could start ticking up very quickly, depending on New York's approach to free agency.

Given that infield depth, however, a trade might handle some of those needs without having to dip into the expensive waters of free agency. Still, the team's entire offseason plan will probably hinge, at least in part, on Judge's decision.

"I can't sign a right fielder, right, that's not Aaron Judge?" Cashman told reporters after he was asked what he planned to do while waiting out Judge's decision. "I'm not going to do that in the near term."

New York Yankees fans worried after general manager Brian Cashman told reporters Tuesday he had no comment when asked if the team had spoken to free agent Aaron Judge since the end of the season can breathe a sigh of relief.

"Have we engaged them since the end of the season? The answer is yes," Cashman said of Judge and his agent, Page Odle, on Wednesday, per Jon Morosi of MLB Network.

Cashman's comments come after Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported on Monday a club executive said he is more "confident" the Bronx Bombers can sign the slugger than he was in the past.

"The belief is that the Yankees will be willing to top Judge's $36 million a year asking price from back in spring," Heyman added.

It isn't much of a surprise that the 30-year-old will be looking for more money than he was before the 2022 campaign started. After all, all he did was set the American League record with 62 home runs while slashing .311/.425/.686 with a league-best 131 RBI and 111 walks.

It was one of the best offensive performances in Major League Baseball history and will surely land him the AL MVP.

On Tuesday, Cashman said the team would also consider bringing back Anthony Rizzo and Andrew Benintendi, even if Judge is the primary focus.

"If you could wave a magic wand, we would secure Aaron Judge and retain him and have him signed and happy in the fold as soon as possible," Cashman said. "He's a free agent. He's earned the right to be a free agent, so he'll dictate the dance steps."

That means other teams, such as the San Francisco Giants, will also have the opportunity to pursue the biggest prize on the free agency market, but New York has at least talked to Judge in the early stages of the offseason.

Now it will be up to the front office to offer a deal that is enough to convince him to stay.

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge and St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt have been named this year's Hank Aaron Award winners as the game's top offensive players for the American League and National League, respectively.

Judge hit an AL-record 62 home runs. He also posted MLB highs with 131 RBI, 133 runs and a 1.111 OPS. His .311 batting average was second in the AL as well.

Goldschmidt amassed 35 home runs and 115 RBI to go with a .317 batting average. His .981 OPS led the NL.

Judge put the Yankees offense on his back en route to a 99-63 record, an American League East title and an ALCS appearance.

No other regular hit better than .261, and only one other Yankee (Anthony Rizzo) posted an OPS better than .761.

The 30-year-old looks primed to win the AL MVP award. He's now a free agent, however, adding his name to a loaded class that includes fellow All-Stars Trea Turner, Willson Contreras and Carlos Rodón, among others.

Thanks largely to Goldschmidt's efforts, the Cardinals won the NL Central with a 93-69 record. They fell to the eventual NL champion Philadelphia Phillies in the wild-card round.

Still, Goldschmidt enjoyed a tremendous season that also included his seventh All-Star appearance. The four-time Gold Glove winner is the presumptive favorite for the NL MVP award as well.

The 35-year-old will be back in St. Louis next year and has two years left on his contract.

Josh Donaldson isn't going anywhere.

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told reporters Tuesday that Donaldson will remain the team's third baseman next season despite his struggles in 2022, per Sports Illustrated's Pat Ragazzo.

"Cash went on to laud Donaldson’s defense and says his offense is better than what he showed last season, they believe he still has a lot left," Ragazzo wrote in a Twitter post.

Cashman's comments come after Yankees manager Aaron Boone evaluated Donaldson's 2022 season during an appearance on The Michael Kay Show (h/t Sports Illustrated's Max Goodman) last week:

"I know it was a grind for him offensively, I know it was a struggle like it was, frankly, for a lot of our guys in the postseason. We didn't perform as well as we would have liked offensively. That wasn't all Josh. But the competitive at-bat thing I think was there, especially because he was one of the guys actually getting on base at a consistent clip, even in the postseason. It was just getting to that big hit or big swing that would really help get him rolling. That didn't happen for a number of our guys."

The Yankees hoped Donaldson, who was acquired in the deal that sent Gary Sánchez and Gio Urshela to the Minnesota Twins ahead of the 2022 campaign, could revive his career in the Bronx.

Instead, he put together one of the worst offensive performances of his career as he struggled at the dish, hitting .222/.308/.374 with 15 home runs and 62 RBI in 132 regular-season games. He also struck out 148 times.

Those struggles continued into the postseason as the Yankees went on to be swept by the Houston Astros in the American League Championship Series after finishing first in the AL East with a 99-63 record. Donaldson hit .172/.333/.207 in nine playoff games and struck out 16 times.

The one thing that is likely keeping Donaldson's job safe is the fact he had a solid season defensively with 78 putouts and 220 assists.

Donaldson is set to earn $21 million in 2023, the final year of his contract. If he doesn't turn things around at the plate, it's reasonable to believe the Yankees will move on either by the trade deadline or after the season.

The New York Yankees are expected to give Anthony Rizzo a $19.65 million qualifying offer, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

The first baseman will have until 4 p.m. ET Nov. 15 to accept the offer, which would keep him with the Yankees on a one-year deal, or decline it and become a free agent. If he declines, New York would receive compensation in the draft.

Rizzo appeared in 130 games for the Yankees last season, totaling a career-high-tying 32 home runs and 75 RBI with a .224 batting average and .817 OPS.

The veteran was especially valuable in the playoffs, hitting .276 with a .432 on-base percentage in nine games, adding two home runs and eight RBI. He was one of just two Yankees, along with Harrison Bader, to hit a home run as they were swept in the American League Championship Series by the Houston Astros.

Rizzo spent the majority of his 12-year career with the Chicago Cubs, totaling three All-Star selections, four Gold Glove Awards and a World Series title in nine-plus seasons before he joined the Yankees in a midseason trade in 2021. He signed a two-year, $32 million extension with New York, but the second year featured a player option and he declined it.

The 33-year-old is an important piece for the Yankees to retain, especially with slugger Aaron Judge also in free agency. Giancarlo Stanton and Gleyber Torres were the only other players to hit more than 15 home runs last season.

DJ LeMahieu could play first base if Rizzo leaves, but there would be a significant drop-off in offensive power to the lineup.

One member of the New York Yankees' front office believes Aaron Judge is going to stay put this offseason.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported Monday that the club executive is more "confident" than he was in the past as the Bronx Bombers attempt to re-sign the slugger after a career season.

"The belief is that the Yankees will be willing to top Judge's $36 million a year asking price from back in spring," Heyman wrote.

Heyman also noted keeping Judge is "easily" the team's biggest goal of the offseason, which should come as no surprise.

After all, he is the face of the franchise and coming off one of the best seasons in Major League Baseball history. He finished with a .311/.425/.686 slash line, 62 home runs, 131 RBI and 111 walks, leading the league in all those categories except for batting average.

The four-time All-Star will likely add an American League MVP to his resume after setting the record for the most home runs in a season in the history of the Junior Circuit.

The 30-year-old also appeared in a career-best 157 games, which is notable after health issues were something of a concern in the past. He played 112 games in 2018, 102 games in 2019 and just 28 games during the shortened 2020 campaign.

Judge bounced back and played 148 games last season and then further proved he can be a durable cornerstone of the lineup during his record-setting effort in 2022.

New York reached the American League Championship Series but got swept by the Houston Astros, extending its World Series drought to 13 years since it won the 2009 title. Every season is championship-or-bust for the Yankees, but their 2023 chances may be determined in the coming days and weeks with the pursuit of Judge dominating baseball headlines.

If they can't retain him, it will surely take multiple other additions to even begin to make up for his loss.