MLB Trade Rumors: Judge Future Not Looking Good With Yankees

Aaron Judge is just in the first of a three arbitration deal season but his future with the New York Yankees may not last long. Though he has proven to be a good addition, questions now shroud on whether the Yankees should offer him a long-term extension.

Though talented, Judge has been struggling through injuries. Factoring in the looming financial problems of what most MLB teams are facing plus the fact the New York has been notorious in inking handing out contract extensions, the 28-year-old's future is up in the air.

Joel Sherman of the New York Post provides an interesting take on the case of Judge. Though he is seen as someone the Yankees should keep, anything is possible. He is compared to a former New York player in Derek Jeter. The difference between them is that the former shortstop was durable but it remains that Judge may eventually be in a similar situation as far as contract negotiations.

Jeter was on the verge of walking out with the Yankees haggling a new deal. In the end, both sides agreed to a 10-year-deal worth $189 million. Could this be the scenario awaiting Judge?

Aside from health, the COVID-19 pandemic situation will play a role. There is no telling how much the Yankees are willing to shell out - assuming they have plans to ink Judge to a long-term deal. It would be best to note that New York has already let several players walk out via free agency. They are Andy Pettitte and Robinson Cano. But somehow, Judge's predicament is different from the others.

At the end of the day, it all boils down to the money that the Yankees have on the table. The Yankees are believed to be targeting Gary Sanchez. There are also players like Gerrit Cole, Giancarlo Stanton, and Gleyber Torres who hold longer-term deals with big numbers. The Yankees are looking to stay competitive and that translates to money. So the question is once the COVID-19 pandemic is contained, does New York have enough budget to maintain all players on their end?

As far as Judge is concerned, it may all boil down to his health. According to an update by Yanks manager Aaron Boone, the outfielder will undergo a CT scan on his injured rib later this month. He was diagnosed with the injury back in March.

A timeline for Judge is still unknown. Boone believes the coronavirus break should buy Judge some time. He is confident that the two-time All-Star should be back in time when and if the MLB season resumes, ESPN reported.