The Giants’ offer to the reigning American League MVP Aaron Richter is “believed to be [in the] $360 million neighborhood,” reports Jon Heyman of the New York Post. The number of years on the contract isn’t clear, although recent reports suggest Judge could be pushing for a nine-year deal. That would bring the potential average annual value of San Francisco’s offering to $40 million, or maybe $36 million if they extended the offering to a decade to address some of the AAV and luxury tax concerns.
San Francisco has long been viewed as the prime threat to signing Judge off the Yankees given the increasing urgency of fielding a winner, the team’s wide-open salary prospects, and Judge’s enthusiasm for the team as a kid growing up in Northern California. Judge has met with both teams for the past week, and aside from some loose ties to the Dodgers, there have been no concrete reports of other teams involved in the mix.
Of course, that doesn’t mean Judge only has two suitors. After a season of 62 homers, .311/.425/.686 that earned him his first MVP win, it stands to reason that the majority of teams would at least be asking about the possibility of a deal. However, given the heights his market seems to be rising to, most clubs would certainly shy away from making a competitive offer.
Still, today’s revelation that the Padres offered Trea Turner A $342 million deal that would have given him the third-biggest guarantee in MLB history — only to have it turned down in favor of the Phillies — has at least served as proof that another team is poised to play at the top end of the free spend Agent Market (though on a different player). There is no firm link between the Padres and Judge just yet, but with San Diego eyeing the outfield market on the corner and showing a willingness to bid for an unprecedented third contract of over 300 million entrants.
Heyman suggests that despite the Giants’ tremendous bid, many in the industry still believe the Yankees are the favorites. For their part, the Yankees, of course, remain hopeful that Judge will re-sign and spend his career in the Bronx, though recently renewed general manager Brian Cashman told reporters last night that Agent Page Odle has given the Yankees no assurances that she will Offered an opportunity to match or beat another team’s offer before the umpire accepts it (link via MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch).
The Giants have approximately $133 million in salaries for next year’s books and are expected to be $91 million less than the first tier of the luxury tax penalty, leaving an AAV for judges in the top $30 million or even $40 million US dollars would not bring them anywhere near the tax limit. However, the judge rejected the Yankees’ qualifying offer, so it would cost the Giants their second-highest pick in next summer’s draft and also trigger a $500,000 reduction in their spending capacity for international amateur free agents.