1. Aaron Judge’s age should factor into Red Sox possible free agency decision
Aaron Judge will turn 31 next April, so it’s fair to ask why the Sox would even consider paying him when they wouldn’t pay Mookie Betts in his age-26 season back in 2019.
Had Judge accepted the Yankees’ offer in the spring, he would’ve been under contract until his late 30s. Players don’t typically get healthier as they age and add more wear and tear to their bodies, and Judge already has a lengthy injury history. Following his Rookie of the Year season in 2017, he played 214 of 324 regular-season games between 2018-19, and 28 games in the shortened 2020 season. He’s been healthy and homering this year, but that’s not the norm for him.
Any lengthy contract comes with the knowledge that the team is paying for the player’s peak; enduring the later years of decline is simply part of that cost. But it’s fair to argue that a significant portion of Judge’s peak might already be behind him. He’s certainly not old, and clearly not declining, but giving a 30-year-old player a 10-year contract (it was rumored that was the length Judge preferred) is irresponsible. Especially when the Sox can give the same deal to 25-year-old Devers.
Ultimately, it’s unlikely the Sox make a serious move for Judge. Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom may imitate the front office’s interest to mess with the rivals and drive up Judge’s price. But hopefully, he’s keenly aware that Judge cannot be Boston’s priority.
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