NEW YORK — Far apart from the New York Yankees on a long-term deal, Aaron Judge carried through his promise to cut off talks when the first pitch of the season was thrown.
“I’m just disappointed because I think I’ve been vocal about I want to be a Yankee for life” he said. “I want to bring a championship back to New York. I want to do it for the fans here. They’re family. This is home for me, and not getting that done right now, it stinks.”
Starting perhaps his final season with the Yankees, Judge was 2 for 5 with a double as New York rallied for a season-opening 6-5, 11-inning win over the Boston Red Sox on Friday.
“At the end of the year, I’m a free agent. I can talk to 30 teams and the Yankees will be one of those 30 teams,” Judge said. “So, it’s always nice to try to wrap something up sooner, the better. But like I said, we weren’t able to get it done and now it’s on the baseball.”
Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman said the team offered an eight-year contract worth $230.5 million to $234.5 million, the difference to have been determined in arbitration for this year’s salary.
Judge’s representatives wanted a nine-year deal in excess of the average annual value of Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout’s contract, which comes to $319.6 million, a person familiar with the negotiations said, speaking on condition of anonymity because Judge’s stance was not made public.
Cashman said he spoke with Judge’s agent, to no avail.
“We obviously had an extended conversation over the last three weeks or so with Page Odle and I — I actually had a conversation with Aaron Judge briefly, as well, but we were unsuccessful in concluding a multiyear pact,” Cashman said, looking glum during a news conference about two hours before the first pitch. “Obviously, our intent is to have Aaron Judge stay as a New York Yankee as we move forward, and I know that’s his intent, as well, which is a good thing.”
Cashman said the Yankees offered a contract averaging $30.5 million annually from 2023-29, with Judge’s 2022 salary to be either the $17 million offered by the team in arbitration or the $21 million requested by the player.
MARINERS: Seattle signed Gold Glove shortstop J.P. Crawford to a $51 million, five-year contract ahead of the start of the regular season.
Crawford, 27, had agreed last month to a $4.85 million, one-year deal and would have been eligible for free agency after the 2024 season. He gets a $5 million signing bonus and $5 million salary this year, $10 million in each of the following three seasons and $11 million in 2026. He also gets a full no-trade provision.
“I love Seattle. I’ve loved it ever since I put on that jersey for the first time,” Crawford said before the season opener against the Twins. “I’ve really wanted to stay here ever since then. So I’m really happy for this opportunity.”
Crawford has been a standout defensive player since being acquired by the Mariners before the start of the 2019 season. He won a Gold Glove in 2020 and was a finalist for the award last season.
Since the start of the 2020 season, Crawford leads all American League shortstops in innings played at the position with 1,876. He has made just 15 errors in 843 chances during that span.
Crawford said he was at a low point with his career toward the end of his time in Philadelphia. After he arrived in Seattle, he received helpful guidance from veteran Dee Strange-Gordon to help start his turnaround.
TELEVISION: Joe Davis is no stranger to succeeding legendary baseball voices.
In 2017, he took over from Hall of Fame announcer Vin Scully on Los Angeles Dodgers telecasts. He’s since emerged as one of the top broadcasters in the game.
Davis will be tasked with succeeding another major name. Davis was named Fox Sports’ lead baseball play-by-play announcer.
Davis takes over for Joe Buck, who left Fox for ESPN’s “Monday Night Football.” Buck was Fox’s lead baseball announcer since the network started televising games in 1996, calling 24 World Series and 22 All-Star Games.
MINOR LEAGUES: Kelsie Whitmore has signed a contract with the Staten Island FerryHawks of the Atlantic League, becoming one of the first women to join a league connected to Major League Baseball.
The 23-year-old Whitmore pitched and played in the outfield for the U.S. women’s baseball team from 2014-19. She also played college softball at Cal-State Fullerton.
The Atlantic League teams are not big league affiliates, but the circuit is an MLB partner league.
“The culture and competitiveness of this ballclub just feels right to be a part of,” Whitmore said in a statement. “I’ve been working for an opportunity like this my whole life, and I’m ready to get after it and compete.”
Next up for Whitmore is the FerryHawks’ invitation-only tryout on Saturday afternoon. The team said she will throw and hit in front of coaches Edgardo Alfonzo, Nelson Figueroa and Luis Rodriguez.
Then she will be with the team for spring training beginning on Monday.
“Kelsie is with us today because of her drive, perseverance, and her fiery passion to outwork any person that we sign,” Staten Island general manager Gary Perone said. “Today Kelsie is paving the way for so many young girls who play baseball across the county.”
• Cincinnati Reds outfielder Brian Rey and Minnesota pitcher Ricardo Velez were suspended for 80 games each following positive tests under the minor league drug program.
Rey, on the roster of the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts, tested positive for the performance-enhancing substance GW501516, the commissioner’s office said. Velez, a member of the Class A Fort Myers Mighty Mussels, tested positive for Nandrolone.
There have been 22 suspensions this year under the minor league drug program.
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