In one of the biggest bombshell moves in baseball history, the New York Yankees have sealed a deal that will tie Aaron Judge to pinstripes until the end of his career — and possibly beyond. After years of speculation, the Yankees announced that their towering superstar is signed to a nine-year, $360 million contract, making it the largest guaranteed deal ever awarded to a free agent in MLB history. The deal keeps Judge — twice AL MVP, holder of the single-season home run record, and the face of the Bronx — in the lineup through 2031 and cements his place alongside the pantheon of exactly five numbers the organization has ever retired.
“He is not just a player anymore… he’s the brand, the captain, the future.” — Yankees GM Brian Cashman
From the moment Judge blasted 62 home runs to set the American League record in 2022, one question haunted baseball: would he ever leave New York? Rumors swirled about teams like the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres making playsh for the towering slugger, but Judge’s heart — and his agent — told a different story.
“He told me, ‘I want to finish with the Yankees. I want to lead them back to the promised land.’” — Judge’s agent, Page Odle.
The Yankees threw everything into the deal, waving rival offers aside and adding a ninth season worth $40 million. To clinch it, owner Hal Steinbrenner personally flew from Italy to Florida to meet Judge face-to-face, asking, “Do you want to be a Yankee for life?” Judge, without hesitation, replied “Yes.”
At 33, Judge is still rewriting the record books. In 2025, he led all of MLB with a .331 batting average, hit 53 home runs, 114 RBIs, and led the American League in runs scored and walks. Despite a mid-season elbow issue, he suited up in the postseason — batting .500 across seven games — though the Yankees fell to the Toronto Blue Jays in a heart-breaking ALDS series.
“You lose as a team, and we did,” Judge said after the postseason. “But I’ll do what it takes to bring this city back to the World Series.”
His postseason performance silenced critics who once questioned his playoffs legacy, transforming him into a legitimate contender on baseball’s Mount Rushmore.
It isn’t just what Judge earns — it’s what this deal means culturally. A two-time MVP (2022, 2024), seven-time All-Star, AL batting champion, Silver Slugger, and $360 million loyalist, Judge is now among legends like Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Derek Jeter, and Mariano Rivera — the few whose numbers the Yankees retire.
“This is the player who will take us over the top,” said Manager Aaron Boone. “He’s our leader. Our captain. And the face of our championship future.”
Contract details hint at an even deeper legacy: no trade clauses, team captainsihp potential, and whispers of a Judge being retired before he even stops playing.
The baseball world has yet to see what could be Judge’s greatest fear: going undefeated in history without winning another championship. Resolving that will be the fight of a dynasty.
“This is the moment it all stops mattering,” Judge said of signing the deal. “I built this city… Now I’m going to finish the job.”
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