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New York Mets billionaire owner Steve Cohen will “torture the Yankees and bid on Aaron Judge even just to drive the price up” as record-breaking slugger moves closer to free agency and potential $300 million contract offer
- Aaron Judge draws closer to free agency amid record season
- He turned down $213.5 million, a seven-year off-season contract offer in the Bronx
- Steve Cohen ‘could torture the Yankees and try to drive up Judge’s price’
- Billionaire Mets owner may even be trying to lure the superstar slugger to Queens
- SPECIAL REPORT: Inside the very private world of Yankees star Aaron Judge
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Billionaire New York Mets owner – and lifelong fan – Steve Cohen will consider “torturing the Yankees” by bidding on Aaron Judge, if only to drive the price up, it is alleged.
Cohen has owned his home team since 2012, first as a minority and since taking full charge in late 2020, and is currently the wealthiest owner in MLB.
Given his incredible wealth, FOX Sports and The Athletic baseball reporter Ken Rosenthal believes Cohen will be a “classic Mets fan” and make an off-season attempt to beat the Yankees by luring Judge through New York.
Aaron Judge is experiencing a historic season, but at the end of it he becomes a free agent
The Yankees slugger turned down a $213.5 million seven-year contract offer to stay in the Bronx
The Yankees superstar is going to free agency after choosing to bet on himself and turning down a $213.5 million seven-year contract offer in the Bronx.
It’s been reported that he could get a $300 million deal elsewhere, and if the Yankees want to keep him, they’ll have to offer him more money than any other player they’ve ever had.
“I don’t think there’s anything crazy about free agency,” Rosenthal said on Thursday when asked if Judge could make the switch to the Mets during their broadcast of the Pirates game.
“With Judge, Steve Cohen is a classic Mets fan. I grew up here, and what Mets fans love most is torturing the Yankees. So even if he can’t get Judge, it’s hard for me to imagine he won’t bid at all or at least show interest.
It is believed that Mets owner Steve Cohen could bid on Judge, if only to drive the price up
Brian Cashman will do everything he can to keep the star of the league in pinstripes next season
“If only to drive up the price for the Yankees. And if the Mets season doesn’t end as successfully as they’d like, why wouldn’t they be interested in Aaron Judge?”
This season, the Yankees slugger is sitting on 57 home runs chasing history game by game, currently four behind Roger Maris’ American League mark.
Despite the potential interest from the Mets, Rosenthal thinks the Yankees have the best chance of keeping Judge in pinstripes heading into next season.
“He wasn’t happy when the Yankees announced what they were offering him around Opening Day,” Rosenthal said. ‘Who knows how this goes? If the Yankees give him what he wants, he’ll stay.
“If they don’t, or if it becomes a situation to jump in and court him, he might go. I’d bet on the Yankees, but with free agency you never know for sure.’