Aaron Judge

The Major League Baseball offseason is in full swing, and with that players have begun making decisions on their contracts for the 2023 campaign.

While Joc Pederson accepted a $19.65 million qualifying offer from the San Francisco Giants, and Martín Pérez accepted a $19.65 million qualifying offer from the Texas Rangers, a number of players declined those qualifying offers.

Among those to decline are Aaron Judge, Trea Turner, Xander Bogaerts, Jacob deGrom, Dansby Swanson, Carlos Rodón, Brandon Nimmo, Willson Contreras, Chris Bassitt, Anthony Rizzo and Nathan Eovaldi.

However, Rizzo agreed to a two-year, $34 million deal, including a $17 million club option for a third year, to remain with the New York Yankees. In addition, Tyler Anderson declined his qualifying offer from the Los Angeles Dodgers to join the Los Angeles Angels on a three-year, $39 million deal.

Judge was always expected to be one of the league's top free agents this winter after a historic season with the Yankees. The 30-year-old hit .311/.425/.686 with 62 home runs and 131 RBI in 157 games. His 62 home runs set the American League record for most homers in a single season.

The Yankees have been clear about their intent to make Judge, who is expected to become one of the highest-paid players in baseball, a competitive offer this offseason after he declined a seven-year, $213.5 million before the 2022 campaign.

Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner recently told Meredith Marakovits of YES Network that Judge "means a lot" to the franchise and that it will do everything possible to retain him in 2023 and beyond.

Steinbrenner added that if Judge re-signs in the Bronx that the Yankees will consider making him their next captain. He would be the first player to be named captain of the Yankees since Derek Jeter served as captain from 2003 to 2014.

However, there's always the possibility that Judge signs elsewhere, especially if another organization comes through with a more lucrative offer.

Another player that will be highly sought after this winter is Bassitt, who rejected his qualifying offer from the New York Mets.

The Mets will need to cough up a lot of money to keep deGrom in Flushing, so it's very possible that Bassitt signs elsewhere in free agency. The right-hander had a decent 2022 campaign with the Mets, posting a 15-9 record with a 3.42 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 167 strikeouts in 30 starts.

Contreras should be one of the top catchers on the market after rejecting his qualifying offer from the Chicago Cubs. The 30-year-old has spent his entire career with the Cubs, but the club has Yan Gomes and P.J. Higgins to rely on in 2023.

Contreras had a solid 2022 season, hitting .243/.349/.466 with 22 home runs and 55 RBI in 113 games.

The Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals are among the teams that could use a catcher in 2023. They should take a look at Contreras, provided the price is right.

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.

Hal Steinbrenner tells @M_Marakovits that "they would consider" making Aaron Judge the next Yankees' captain. #YANKSonYES pic.twitter.com/cilljzfhta

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) November 15, 2022

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.

Record-breaking New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge reportedly headlines a group of nine MLB players expected to receive contracts of at least $100 million this offseason.

One player, New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz, already joined the nine-figure club by signing a $102 million extension. ESPN's Jeff Passan reported other members of the group expected to join Diaz and Judge via free agency, which opens Thursday at 5 p.m. ET:

• SS Trea Turner (Los Angeles Dodgers)
• SS Carlos Correa (Minnesota Twins)
• SS Xander Bogaerts (Boston Red Sox)
• SS Dansby Swanson (Atlanta Braves)
• OF Brandon Nimmo (New York Mets)
• SP Carlos Rodón (San Francisco Giants)
• SP Jacob deGrom (New York Mets)

Nimmo is the only name on the list that may catch some people by surprise given his modest counting stats across seven seasons with the Mets. He's recorded just 63 home runs and 23 stolen bases in 608 career appearances.

That said, the 29-year-old center fielder gets on base at a high rate (.385 career on-base percentage) and plays solid defense (six outs above average in 2022, per FanGraphs).

Agent Scott Boras said Wednesday a "majority" of teams have already called him about Nimmo.

"You are looking at a guy that there are no center fielders in our game that are available," Boras told reporters. "And then you add leadoff to that and then you add ... on-base percentage to that, and he's an excellent defender and then also he can play in New York. When you have those elements that are there, he becomes a very integral part of what we found for a team to win 100 games. He's a very proven commodity and there are very few that can replace him."

Otherwise, two intriguing storylines early in free agency will be whether the Yankees can keep pace in the Judge sweepstakes and which star shortstop signs first to set the market at the position.

New York can't afford to lose Judge and expect to remain a top-tier contender in the American League. He carried the club's offense for extended stretches in 2022 en route to setting the new AL home run record with 62.

As Boras alluded, there aren't many great options available in center field, and even the dropoff from Judge to Nimmo is rather significant. So the ability to re-sign the 6'7'' slugger is a make-or-break situation for the Yanks.

Meanwhile, all four of the top-tier shortstops available should surpass the $100 million mark if they're willing to sign long-term deals.

Swanson, who's often ranked fourth on the list and could sign first to help set the baseline for the others, finds himself in a similar situation to Freddie Freeman last offseason. He's spent his entire career with the Braves but hits the market without a new deal.

"Business is business, man. It's not always the fun part about the game," Swanson said last week on 92.9 The Game. "I wish it was just one plus one, but it never seems to be that way."

Freeman left to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Swanson may follow him out the Truist Park door, leaving Atlanta with a void at shortstop.

All told, a lot of money is going to get spent over the next few months and, given the high-end talent available, the clubs willing to open their checkbooks could put themselves at the forefront of the 2023 championship chase.

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.

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.

A new world champion was crowned last Saturday, and soon it will be time to celebrate the top individual stars from the 2022 MLB season.

With the balloting complete, the Baseball Writers' Association of America announced Monday the finalists for its year-end awards.

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American League Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year

• Steven Kwan, Cleveland Guardians 
• Julio Rodríguez, Seattle Mariners
• Adley Rutschman, Baltimore Orioles
  

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National League Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year

• Brendan Donovan, St. Louis Cardinals 
• Michael Harris II, Atlanta Braves 
• Spencer Strider, Atlanta Braves

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American League Manager of the Year

• Terry Francona, Cleveland Guardians 
• Brandon Hyde, Baltimore Orioles 
• Scott Servais, Seattle Mariners

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National League Manager of the Year

• Dave Roberts, Los Angeles Dodgers 
• Buck Showalter, New York Mets 
• Brian Snitker, Atlanta Braves

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American League Cy Young

• Dyla Cease, Chicago White Sox 
• Alek Manoah, Toronto Blue Jays 
• Justin Verlander, Houston Astros

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National League Cy Young

• Sandy Alcantara, Miami Marlins 
• Max Fried, Atlanta Braves 
• Julio Urías, Los Angeles Dodgers

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American League MVP

• Yordan Alvarez, Houston Astros 
• Aaron Judge, New York Yankees 
• Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels

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National League MVP

• Nolan Arenado, St. Louis Cardinals 
• Paul Goldschmidt, St. Louis Cardinals 
• Manny Machado, San Diego Padres

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The Atlanta Braves were well represented after winning 101 games and narrowly edging the New York Mets for the National League East crown. Brian Snitker is a Manager of the Year finalist, Max Fried is assured of a top-three Cy Young finish, and the pair of Spencer Strider and Michael Harris II could occupy the top two spots for Rookie of the Year.

Michael Harris and Spencer Strider are both NL Rookie of the Year finalists. St. Louis' Brendan Donovan joins them.

Good luck debating Harris and Strider.

— Justin Toscano (@JustinCToscano) November 8, 2022

Clear favorites have arguably emerged for the four biggest honors.

Shohei Ohtani continued to be a generational two-way talent and provided a reason to watch the perpetually disappointing Los Angeles Angels on any given night.

Still, the voters are bound to give Aaron Judge's dominance at the plate its due.

The New York Yankees slugger set an American League record with 62 home runs while leading MLB in RBI (131), on-base percentage (.425), slugging (.686) and WAR (11.4), per FanGraphs. The next closest player in WAR was the San Diego Padres' Manny Machado at 7.4.

Judge took the notion of a contract year to the next level as he heads into free agency.

When it comes to the American League MVP, the only drama is whether the 30-year-old is a unanimous winner. Plenty of Yankees fans are bound to feel aggrieved if even one first-place vote goes to Ohtani or somebody else other than Judge.

In the NL, Machado helped carry a Padres offense that was without Fernando Tatis Jr. San Diego doesn't get to the playoffs without the six-time All-Star third baseman.

But Paul Goldschmidt was the NL's premier offensive threat. The St. Louis Cardinals third baseman had 35 home runs, 115 RBI and a .307/.404/.578 slash line. He set career highs in slugging and OPS+ (180), per Baseball Reference, and led the league in both categories.

While unlikely, Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado could play a spoiler role for his teammate in MVP voting.

Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado are both finalists* for the National League MVP.

* Technically, they are among the top-three vote-getters in balloting by @officialBBWAA before start of the postseason.#stlcards #Cardinals #MVP #MLB

— Derrick Goold (@dgoold) November 8, 2022

For the Cy Young Award races, the Houston Astros' Justin Verlander and the Miami Marlins' Sandy Alcantara are the most logical choices in their respective leagues.

Verlander continues to defy Father Time. The right-hander returned from Tommy John surgery to go 18-4 with a 1.75 ERA and a 2.49 FIP.

Given his age (39), it was easy to assume the Tommy John procedure would be the beginning of the end for Verlander. Instead, he's bound to add a third Cy Young to his Hall of Fame resume.

Alcantara was a workhorse for the Marlins. His 228.2 innings led MLB and were 23.2 more than the next closest pitcher, Aaron Nola. His six complete games were also the most since 2016.

9 more days until Sandy Alcantara is announced as the NL Cy Young winner

— Fish On First Spaces (@MarlinsSpaces) November 7, 2022

The Marlins ace was more than just an innings-eater, too. He had a 2.28 ERA and a 2.99 FIP in his 32 starts.

Ultimately, it’s Sandy Alcantara’s for certain now and I hope he won unanimously. But I really think it should’ve been pretty close between him and Nola.

— Michael Bradburn (@MWBII) November 7, 2022

The BBWAA will begin handing out its awards on Nov. 14. Manager of the Year will follow on Nov. 15, and the Cy Young and MVP reveals will unfold over the next two days.