Brian Cashman offers shockingly honest Aaron Judge update

Mar 14, 2022; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman talks with media during spring training workouts at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Yankees will go into the 2022 season without a contract extension in place for Aaron Judge, and we now know the exact offer they made to the star outfielder.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman spoke with the media about Judge hours before the team’s opener. He said New York offered the slugger a seven-year, $213.5 million extension that would have kicked in after this season.

Official from Yankees GM Brian Cashman: No long-term deal for Aaron Judge. Said Yankees offered a seven-year, $213.5 million extension, which, paired with the $17 million they’ve offered in arbitration this season, would have made the entire package just over $230 million.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) April 8, 2022

The $30.5 million average annual value would have made Judge the highest-paid position player in Yankees history. He may be seeking something closer to the $35 million-plus that Mike Trout makes from the Los Angeles Angels, but the Yankees were never going to go that high.

Cashman said he decided to be so transparent because he knew the offer would leak out eventually, but the approach was still bizarre. Sharing the details of the offer is basically the Yankees’ way of saying “look how much Judge turned down.” There is a reason teams almost never do that.

Judge is set to become a free agent after the season. Cashman said the Yankees are “disappointed” they were unable to reach an agreement with the 29-year-old and are open to working out a deal during the season, but Judge has said he does not want to do that.

Judge is a career .940 OPS with a pair of top-4 AL MVP finishes. He is important to the heart of the Yankees’ order, but he also has a long injury history. You have to wonder if he is taking the advice of one of his teammates.

Photo: Mar 14, 2022; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman talks with media during spring training workouts at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports