There’s more information on why the New York Mets didn’t kick the tires on acquiring New York Yankees All-Star slugger Aaron Judge in free agency.
“They didn’t want to pursue a Yankees icon when they figured there’d be no chance he’d leave for the Mets,” MLB insider Jon Heyman of the New York Post explained. “They needed a signal from him to even consider it, which it’s apparent they didn’t get.”
It was reported in November that the Mets were leaving Judge for the Yankees in part due to a supposed “mutually respectful relationship” enjoyed between club owners Steve Cohen (Mets) and Hal Steinbrenner (Yankees). That story coupled with the Mets’ actions caused the MLB Players Association to request that MLB look into whether the New York teams engaged in any improper communication regarding Judge’s future.
Nothing came of such accusations.
“Many assume another reason the Mets didn’t pursue Judge is that our two team owners are enjoying an unusual era of good feeling, but it’s probably more about the Mets having so many other expensive holes to fill and not wanting to waste their time,” Heyman added.
Judge flirted with joining the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres but ultimately returned to the Yankees after the two sides agreed to a nine-year, $360 million deal. The Yankees subsequently made Judge the 16th captain in club history, while the Mets brought outfielder Brandon Nimmo back via an eight-year contract reportedly worth $162 million.
Interestingly, Nimmo suggested he could’ve followed the 2022 American League Most Valuable Player and signed with the Giants had they landed Judge ahead of Christmas.
“Just like everyone else, we were waiting to see what was going to happen with Judge because he was the big-ticket item,” Nimmo noted. “Judge being from there (Linden, California), we thought it was possible he could end up there.”
