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Morosi claims Giants have ‘legitimate chance’ of landing Judge originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
The New York Yankees reportedly offered Aaron Judge a contract that would make him the highest-paid position player in MLB history based on average annual value.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Wednesday morning that the Yankees laid an offer “in the neighborhood” of eight years and $300 million.
But the Giants, the other top suitor heavily pursuing Judge, aren’t out of the picture just yet.
“The Giants are a very realistic possibility,” MLB Network broadcaster Jon Morosi said on “Hot Stove” Thursday morning. “This is not a Yankees at a 70 percent likelihood and the Giants are 30.
“I think that we are very close to 50-50, where if the Giants really step up and get that AAV up closer to 40 million a year, there’s a legitimate chance that Aaron Judge becomes a San Francisco Giant.”
The Northern California native arrived in San Francisco last week and met with Giants officials for two days.
Judge and his agent had dinner with CEO Larry Baer, president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi, manager Gabe Kapler and other members of the organization.
Numerous Giants players, Warriors star Steph Curry, legendary Bay Area rapper E-40 and countless fans joined the fight in helping recruit the American League MVP to San Francisco.
And while Morosi thinks the odds are pretty even as of now, he believes it will take more than a check with a lot of zeros to convince Judge to leave the Bronx.
RELATED: Report: Yankees’ new Judge offer close to eight years, $300M
“I really believe Aaron Judge won’t sign with the Giants unless there is a credible and actionable plan to put a winning team around him that can get to the postseason,” Morosi added. “I don’t think Aaron Judge will take on all that pressure and expectation of going across the country if he looks at the roster and says, ‘We’re going to finish .500 and behind the [Los Angeles] Dodgers and [San Diego] Padres.’
“They’re going to have to do something to validate Judge’s fate, and that is where Farhan Zaidi has to come up with a comprehensive plan in the next week to 10 days that shows Aaron Judge you’re not just going to come here and make a lot of money, you’re going to come here and win and make the playoffs in 2023.”
Last season’s case might not be so convincing for the Giants, who finished exactly at .500 and watched the postseason from their couches. But they won a franchise-record 107 games the season before.
The decision is expected to come soon — very soon. Passan reported that Judge is expected to sign during MLB’s Winter Meetings, which begin Sunday in San Diego and run through Dec. 7.
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