Some players become so deeply associated with a team that it’s unimaginable to see them join another. When the 2022 season ended, Aaron Judge hit free agency. It was a historic end to the season, with Judge breaking the AL single-season home run record, previously set by Roger Maris in 1961. Judge also became the AL Most Valuable Player and the number one target for MLB teams to recruit in the off-season.
A lot of players grow up with a favorite baseball team since their childhood days. Maybe it was their parents’ favorite or their city’s home team. Whatever the reason, Judge was a die-hard Yankees fan. So getting to play in pinstripes was nothing short of a dream that ended too soon. The outfielder is technically a Linden, California native, but the San Francisco Giants never held as much lure for him as the Bronx Bombers did. That is not to say the Giants didn’t try to recruit him with the help of a franchise legend.
Buster Posey tried to recruit Aaron Judge to the San Francisco Giants
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Remember Arson Judge? In December 2022, the baseball world waited for the Yankee outfielder’s answer as MLB teams lined up like suitors to make a deal with him. At that time, MLB insider Jon Heyman incorrectly reported that Judge had signed on to the Giants, and in his haste, he misspelled Aaron as Arson. It’s a popular meme to this day.
While he later apologized for jumping the gun, the Giants did try to recruit All-Rise. Franchise icon Buster Posey, who is a three-time World Series champ with the team, was personally involved as well. “I’m definitely biased because I played there and really enjoyed playing there,” the 2012 NL MVP told Foul Territory. “But I think it’s like — it’s a similar East Coast vibe, right? Maybe not quite as tough on their own players as a New York or a Boston, but a fanbase that is very knowledgeable and they want a winner.”
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He later added, “I didn’t do anything in person but was on the phone.” While their struggles failed in the end, it was certainly a valiant effort!
Posey was part of another popular MLB saga
While the Yankees cleared things up last year with Judge and his nine-year, $360 million deal, not to mention team captaincy, there was another player that went through some drama. It’s easy to guess – that’s right, it was Carlos Correa. In a market that was high in demand for shortstops, Correa was especially well-touted. But in November 2022, he decided to opt out of his three-year contract with the Minnesota Twins, and the baseball world descended into madness.
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WATCH THIS STORY – The Top-5 Most Electrifying Home Runs By New York Yankees Star Aaron Judge
The Giants offered him a deal, but things went south after a failed physical. Posey laughingly spoke of it, “My recruiting record, even as a player, is not great. I might need to just stay out of this.”