NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge’s future is uncertain. It remains to be seen whether Aaron Boone’s is, too.
Judge’s career in pinstripes might have ended when he made the final out in Sunday night’s 6-5 loss to the Houston Astros, who completed a four-game AL Championship Series sweep as the Yankees unraveled with yet another defensive meltdown.
In the hours before opening day, Judge turned down a seven-year contract that would have paid $213.5 million from 2023-29, choosing instead to remain eligible for free agency after the World Series.
He set an American League record with 62 homers, tied for the major league lead with 131 RBIs and finished second in the AL with a .311 batting average. But he hit just .139 with three RBIs and 15 strikeouts in the postseason, going 1 for 16 (.063) with no RBIs against the Astros. He made the final out on a comebacker.
Able to negotiate with all teams starting on the sixth day after the World Series, Judge is due a big reward for betting on himself. He could command a $300 million-plus contract.
Boone agreed last October to a three-year with a team option for 2025. In his fifth season as manager, New York sprinted to a 61-23 record in early July, sparking comparison with the 1998 championship Yankees. But hampered by injuries, the Yankees went 38-40 the rest of the way.
Cleveland extended the Division Series to five games, and Boone’s pitching and outfield decisions were repeatedly questioned. Debate will only increase after he left in Nestor Cortes on Sunday night, and the All-Star left-hander allowed Jeremy Pena’s tying three-run homer. Boone then removed Cortes, and the Yankees announced the left-hander had a reoccurance of a left groin injury.
New York’s defense was a constant issue in the playoffs, making six errors and failing several other times.
Without a World Series title since 2009, New York heads into an offseason in which pitcher Jameson Taillon, outfielder Andrew Benintendi and utilitymen Matt Carpenter and Marwin Gonzalez are eligible for free agency along with relievers Chad Green, Miguel Castro, Zack Britton and Aroldis Chapman.
First baseman Anthony Rizzo can opt out and give up a $16 million salary for next season, and the Yankees are likely to exercise a $15 million option on pitcher Luis Severino rather than pay a $2.75 million buyout.
Brian Cashman, the general manager since 1998, is finishing a five-year contract. He has been attempting to retool the roster in recent years to make the batting order less right-handed and improve the defense. The process began when Gleyber Torres was moved to second base in September 2021 and catcher Gary Sánchez was traded last winter, and kept up with the August acquisition of center fielder Harrison Bader.
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