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TORONTO – At the start of spring training, shortly after Fernando Tatis Jr. signed a huge overtime with San Diego long before he became a free agent, Aaron Judge was asked if he had spoken to the Yankees about a deal.
“No, we didn’t,” the judge said at the time, adding that it was a “good question”.
Now that he is perhaps finishing his best – and certainly healthiest – season since 2017, when Judge was AL Rookie of the Year and Houston’s Jose Altuve finalist for AL MVP, the outfielder was asked if a dialogue had started between the two sides.
“No,” the judge told The Post over the weekend.
“The ball is sort of in their court,” the judge said. “I’m just a player. I just do my job every day. I’m not going to run up to anyone and say ‘let’s talk about this.’ It is their job to do. That’s what they get paid for. I get paid to be here on the ground.
He still has a year of officiating before he becomes a free agent – under the collective agreement which expires on December 1 – and unlike in recent seasons, the 29-year-old has been able to stay on the pitch, avoiding serious injuries.
He scared the Yankees on Sunday night after making the double go-ahead early in the eighth inning to help complete a Red Sox sweep at Fenway Park.
All the good the Yankees had done seemed in danger of being undone by a dislocated left little finger suffered when he slipped headfirst into second base, but Judge and Aaron Boone were convinced the injury wouldn’t have much. impact on the hitter.
Judge played 142 games, more than in any other season than the 155 he played as a rookie.
And while he won’t approach the 52 homers, 1,049 OPS or 8.3 fWAR that he had four seasons ago, his .903 OPS and 145 OPS-plus will almost certainly lead the team and his 4.9 fWAR. is just behind Gerrit Cole’s 5.3.
These numbers are possible in part because he avoided injuries of years past, like the fractured ribs of a year ago – which he may have suffered in 2019. There was also the strained oblique in 19, a fractured wrist the previous year, as well as the shoulder injury he suffered as a rookie.
While staying healthy was one of Judge’s main goals leading up to 2021, he said he didn’t believe he had proven anything by following through on it extensively.
“Not really,” the judge said. “This is who I am. I haven’t changed much. These are just the first steps. I still have a process to work on. It takes a few years to reach the top. We are still working our way there. I have more to my game.
Specifically, the judge said he was open to playing more in the middle of the pitch.
“Based on the squad we have, if that gives us the best training to win, I would love to play there,” Judge said. “I was drafted [out of college] as a center player. They said to me, “Do you prefer to play next to Jacoby Ellsbury or behind him?” I said, ‘I prefer to play next to him.’ “
He’s spent 23 games at center this season – and Ellsbury is just a distant memory.
“I have to be in better shape to play more there,” Judge said. “I just want to keep improving.”
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