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Dodgers’ rumored contract for Aaron Judge definitely isn’t true

CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 16: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees advances to third base against the Cleveland Guardians during the sixth inning in game four of the American League Division Series at Progressive Field on October 16, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 16: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees advances to third base against the Cleveland Guardians during the sixth inning in game four of the American League Division Series at Progressive Field on October 16, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

In another edition of “least true offseason rumors you’ve ever seen,” we have our latest episode out of the Dominican Republic the week of Thanksgiving. And it involves the Los Angeles Dodgers LOWBALLING the TOP FREE AGENT on the ENTIRE market.

Apologies for even aggregating this, but the amount of stories across the web that have written about this as if it even may have had a 25% chance of happening is insane.

According to Ramon D. Carmona, a news producer in the Dominican Republic, the Dodgers offered Aaron Judge a $214 million contract, which the reigning AL MVP rejected. Nobody else has confirmed or backed this report. And there are so many reasons to believe it’s beyond false.

For starters, Judge rejected a $230.5 million offer ($213.5 million extension) from the New York Yankees last offseason. In what realm is he accepting less than that, unless this is a four-year contract, something he would still likely punt into the dumpster?

Carmona did not have the details on the length of the contract, which probably was an essential detail here considering the Dodgers attempted to lure superstar Bryce Harper on a four-year, $180 million contract back in 2018. If this was a short-term offer, then it’s believable. If it was anything beyond four years, it’s fake.

Dodgers “rumored” offer for Aaron Judge is definitely 100% false

Judge is, by far, the most coveted player in free agency right now. There has been no intel on him meeting with the Dodgers. In fact, after multiple meetings with the Yankees, Judge’s official free agency tour began with the San Francisco Giants right before Thanksgiving weekend.

It’s obviously irresponsible to rule anything out at this point, but Dodgers fans highly doubt one of the most powerful and influential organizations in all of sports opted to present Judge with an offer they probably knew he’d reject without even setting up a meeting with him. LA already knew this was going to be a drawn-out process, given the magnitude of Judge’s free agency after his historic 2022 campaign. There was no need to rush to the front of the line with the Yankees’ preseason offer.

Andrew Friedman, who has paid Mookie Betts $365 million, Freddie Freeman $162 million, and, hell, Trevor Bauer $103 million, knows better than to try and give the reigning best player in baseball a contract he doesn’t want in hopes he’ll accept it for no other reason than to join the Dodgers. This ill-advised premature “offer” is something the Red Sox would do.

Glad we got that off our chest. If there’s an offer on the way for Judge from the Dodgers, it will come after an official meeting and probably be closer to the Winter Meetings. If anybody knows how to deal with the top players on the market, it’s Friedman. And this rumor was such a far departure from how the Dodgers do business that there’s no way we can buy any stock in it.

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