• Loading stock data...
Saturday, December 14, 2024

Aaron Judge Could Command Record $500M In Free Agency

  • Leigh Steinberg thinks Yankees superstar could score $500 million, 10-year deal.
  • Judge is “an immediate box office draw,” Steinberg tells FOS.
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

$500 million. 10 years. All guaranteed.

That’s the monster deal New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge could land as he enters free agency, according to super-agent Leigh Steinberg.

That would be the richest player deal in Major League Baseball history. But if there’s anybody who could become baseball’s first $500 million player, its Judge, who set the new American League record with 62 home runs this season. 

“He immediately and dramatically enhances a team’s offensive output. He’s a good team player. And for any team that’s not sold out, he’s an immediate box office draw,” Steinberg told Front Office Sports. “So he might be one of the few players who pays for part of his contract in ticket sales.”

Steinberg, the real-life inspiration for the movie “Jerry Maguire,” knows whereof he speaks. He negotiated the biggest contract in the NFL — Patrick Mahomes’ $450 million, 10-year deal. Over his 40-year career, Steinberg has secured $4 billion worth of contracts for over 300 athlete clients. 

YES ‘Satisfied’ Aaron Judge’s Historic HR Came During Its Telecast

Despite attempted horse-trading among national channels, Aaron Judge hit his historic 62nd…
October 5, 2022

Judge turned down a seven-year, $213.5 million extension with the Yankees to test the potentially lucrative waters of unrestricted free agency. His bold decision is about to pay off.

A $50 million per-year contract would more than double his current $19 million a year salary. A 10-year pact would take the 30-year-old right fielder through his 40th birthday in 2032. 

Here’s how Judge’s potential deal would stack up against the highest-paid players in MLB via Spotrac:

  • Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels: $426.5 million, 12 years.
  • Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers: $365 million, 12 years.
  • Francisco Lindor, New York Mets: $341 million, 10 years.

MLB teams are loath to guarantee contracts as players enter the twilight of their careers. But the 2017 Rookie of the Year might be one of the few who can pull it off, Steinberg said.

The towering 6’7” slugger is the best player on the most famous baseball team in the country’s largest TV market. The home-grown Yankee is coming off the best year of his career in which he nearly won the AL’s Triple Crown with 62 home runs, 131 RBI, and a .311 batting average.

If the Yankees don’t pay up, their cross-town rivals in Queens are waiting in the wings. 

With a net worth of $15 billion, Mets owner Steve Cohen is the richest majority owner in MLB. Cohen bought the Mets for $2.4 billion in 2020. He proved with his Lindor signing that he’s willing to pay big money to bring a winner to Citi Field.

Potential bidders such as the San Francisco Giants or other clubs would have to weigh whether they want to pay a luxury tax for their increased payrolls. The issue for Judge, said Steinberg, is how many guaranteed years he gets under his new contract.

“The question is: Are you paying a long-term contract for past performance? Or future projected performance? But if a franchise was going to make a bet on future productivity, he’s about the best candidate around,” said the chairman of Steinberg Sports & Entertainment.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Cody Bellinger

The Astros Cheating Scandal Still Looms Large Five Years Later

It may end up a major factor in the Cubs’ and Yankees’ offseasons. 

Mets: Not Concerned About Lower-Revenue Clubs After Soto Signing

The club dismisses concerns about fundamentally resetting the sport’s salary scale.
Jul 24, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Juan Soto (22) flips his bat after hitting a solo home run against the New York Mets during the third inning at Yankee Stadium.

The Biggest Athlete Contracts Signed in 2024

Juan Soto and Jayson Tatum inked the biggest deals.

Featured Today

The Top-Secret Operation to Create the Army-Navy Football Uniforms

The two-year process includes dozens of employees, NDAs, and military historians.
Nov 2, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Detailed view of a Wilson NBA basketball held by a referee during the second half between the Utah Jazz against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena
December 9, 2024

‘Obvious Weak Point’: Refs Remain an NBA Gambling Concern

A season after Jontay Porter, the biggest risk may not be players.
Nov 2, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines cheerleader runs with a flag before the game against the Oregon Ducks at Michigan Stadium.
opinion
December 7, 2024

College Football’s Billionaire Backer Era Begins

Is this the new normal in CFB recruiting?
LA Galaxy forward Dejan Joveljic (9) celebrates with midfielder Riqui Puig (10) after scoring a goal against Seattle Sounders FC in the second half in the 2024 MLS Cup Western Conference Final match at Dignity Health Sports Park
December 6, 2024

With or Without Messi, Major League Soccer Is Barreling Into the Future

After the Cup final, the league looks to accelerate its growth.
De'Vondre Campbell

49ers Set to Cut Starter for Refusing to Enter Game: ‘Stupid’ and..

De’Vondre Campbell refused to re-enter the game Thursday night.
Caitlin Clark
December 10, 2024

Caitlin Clark Is Next Up for Taylor Swift With the Eras Tour..

Swift told Clark she and Travis Kelce want to watch the Fever.
Dec 4, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) looks to pass against Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) in the first half at Kaseya Center.
December 11, 2024

Heat Open to Jimmy Butler Trades, but Here’s Why Deal Will Be..

The Heat are reportedly “open” to hearing trade offers for Butler.
Sponsored

How UBS Crafts Impactful Partnerships Across Sports, Arts, and Culture

As UBS continues to expand its impressive array of sports and entertainment partnerships, the company solidifies its position as a leader in wealth management.
Aaron Rodgers
December 9, 2024

A Jets–Aaron Rodgers Divorce Could Get Expensive

The Jets could end up with $49 million or more in dead money.
December 8, 2024

Juan Soto Agrees to Groundbreaking $765 Million Mets Deal

Unlike Ohtani’s Dodgers deal, the Soto contract reportedly contains no deferred money.
Oct 26, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto (22) reacts after hitting a home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the third inning for game two of the 2024 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium.
December 8, 2024

Juan Soto’s $700M Question Looms Over MLB Winter Meetings

Soto, Hall of Fame picks, and the draft lottery highlight the gathering.
Luis Severino
December 5, 2024

Mere $67 Million for Pitcher Is Largest Deal in A’s History 

Severino had a strong season with the Mets after a tough 2023.