NFL
By Billy Lewis
Aaron Judge’s dream 2022 concludes with the Free Agent All-Star bringing home an MVP trophy. Of course, prior to the season Judge declined the New York Yankees contract offer. Before Opening Day the Yankees offered Judge a contract extension for seven years and $213.5 million.
Judge opted to bet on himself and go into the season without a new deal. That bet is going to pay off huge dividends for the MVP. Judge made it a summer to remember for Yankee fans. He hit his first home run of the season six games in, and he wouldn’t hit his second homer until eight games later.
However, after that, the dream season came to light. When it was said and done Judge helped lead the Yankees to the American League East title finishing the season with a new American League record 62 home runs! Judge was a constant all year in the Yankee lineup and even moved to centerfield for much of the season.
Perhaps even more impressive than his home run prowess, Judge was able to compete for the AL triple crown as the season winded down. Judge hit over .300 for the first time in his career, finishing at .311 just .005 points shy of Luis Arraez’s .316.
2022 marks the third time Judge will finish top 5 in MVP voting. Winning it this season, and finishing second to Jose Altuve in 2017 (though many think Judge should have won that year as well), and a fourth-place finish in 2021. The runner-up this season was Angel’s two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani.
Judge got 28 of 30 first place votes pic.twitter.com/SPjiROdvDq
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) November 18, 2022
Ohtani has the advantage of being both a great hitter and pitcher, however, Judge’s season was too great to be beaten. Despite Ohtani’s season it felt as though the real question was “would Judge be a unanimous MVP?” He was close, receiving 28 of the 30 first-place votes.
What’s Next For Aaron Judge
The MVPs getting crowned, Paul Goldschmidt won in the National League, pretty much puts a cap on the 2022 MLB season. Next stop will be for Judge to see just how much his preseason bet will pay off. Judge will turn 31 next April so it will be interesting to see if any teams offer a nine or ten-year deal.
The biggest knock on Judge is the thought that he gets hurt too often. Meanwhile, he played 157 games this season and 148 games in 2021. As great as a hitter Judge has been, there is still the possibility of getting better. Aaron Judge is 6’7 while the average major league baseball player is 6’2. On a broadcast back in June, the Yes Network showed just how many missed strike calls Judge has seen.
That’s a lot pic.twitter.com/6ZAMAaXbbn
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) June 29, 2022
Judge and whichever team signs the MVP should be able to breathe a sigh of relief soon. In 2024 it is expected that Major League Baseball will move to an automated strike zone. Though Judge will most likely never replicate a 62-home-run season again, when the strike zone becomes properly called on the Silver Slugger, he should become a better hitter.
In the end, I do believe Judge stays with the Yankees. The Yankees put up the “Judge’s Chambers” in right field in 2017, and Judge has become the new face of the Yankees. He means far too much for the team to let him walk. If the Yankees are able to re-sign Judge it feels like a foregone conclusion he will also become the first captain since Derek Jeter, who retired in 2014. Owner Hal Steinbrenner has come out and implied the Yankees won’t be outbid for Judge and I think they get a deal done for 8 years and $330 million.
