Aaron Judge Comment Has Yankees Fans Worried

Just before last night's All-Star game that ended in a 3-2 American League Victory led by a 460-foot Giancarlo Stanton homer, ESPN's Marly Rivera teed up one of these dumbest questions of all-time to impending free agent, Aaron Judge. Rather than allowing baseball fans to enjoy the game or spread a message that aids the sport's growth, the focus was back on Judge potentially leaving the Yankees altogether. Well done, Marly!

"Jacob, buddy. We've got a lot of great Yankees on this team that'll be here for a long time. Don't be upset...hopefully you'll be a Judge fan for life," Judge said. Rivera used a kid's question to put Aaron Judge on the spot forced to now address his future with the Yankees. Exactly what we've come to expect from Marly Rivera and precisely why Judge hires an agent to handle this stuff. Marly Rivera knows this yet she did it anyway for the sake of ratings.

But now that the answer is out there for all of us to see, it doesn't look good for the Yankees pursuit of a Judge extension. Doesn't necessarily mean he's out the door, but his answer felt like a player that knew his time was coming. And this is a fan-favorite that sells more jerseys than any Yankee since Derek Jeter -- Aaron Judge wants to be there. But are the Yankees willing to pay him what top-5 players in baseball make?

Judge reportedly turned down a $213.5 million offer this past winter that would've paid the Yankees center fielder less than $30 million a year. Not like we're talking chump change, but when players like Mike Trout and Max Scherzer are raking in nearly $40 million per season (Scherzer makes $43M), it's human nature to want to meet those new standards as a top player yourself.

All of this is beginning to swirl simultaneously with the Juan Soto rumors that the Washington Nationals might trade the 23-year-old slugger. Again, due to the same contract dispute that sent former Nationals star Bryce Harper to Philadelphia for a 12-year, $330 million deal in free agency. Players probably would rather handle these issues in house as it keeps them liked by all their fans rather than sounding like the greedy athlete that left for a fatter check -- it just sucks that one of the game's faces is nearing an ugly exit. Of course this whole thing might be postering from both sides that ends with a well-deserved Aaron Judge extension in the Bronx. It's just too bad ESPN doesn't hire better reporters to offer players some control over what they speak about on live television. Marly Rivera has zero feel that knows better than to discuss business at any event to celebrate baseball. At least she should.