NEW YORK — Aaron Judge recently expressed that he would not feel uneasy if Juan Soto, the free agent outfielder, secures a contract larger than his own impressive nine-year, $360 million deal with the New York Yankees.
“It’s not my money,” Judge stated on Friday, a day after he was unanimously awarded the American League MVP for the second time. “What matters to me is that we bring in the best players. I’m supportive of whatever.” Judge emphasized that financial matters concerning other players have never preoccupied him.

In a remarkable season, Judge led MLB with 58 home runs, 144 RBIs, and 133 walks, achieving a .322 batting average as the Yankees made it to the World Series for the first time since 2009, ultimately falling short against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Soto, who played his first season with the Yankees, posted a .288 batting average, hitting 41 homers and driving in 109 RBIs while also drawing 129 walks. He finished third in the MVP voting, following Kansas City’s shortstop Bobby Witt Jr.

At just 26 years old and now a free agent, Soto has already met with several teams, including the Yankees, Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Boston Red Sox. Reports indicate he is also scheduled to meet with the Philadelphia Phillies soon. These insights come from a source close to the negotiations who requested anonymity since these discussions have not been made public.

While team negotiations are expected to pick up pace after Thanksgiving, the Yankees are actively pursuing Soto. A notable delegation from the team, including owner Hal Steinbrenner, president Randy Levine, general manager Brian Cashman, manager Aaron Boone, and senior baseball operations advisor Omar Minaya, met with Soto.

Steinbrenner characterized the meeting positively, stating, “We had a productive session filled with honest dialogue that lasted a couple of hours.” When asked about his confidence in retaining Soto, he responded simply, “I have no idea. We will definitely be a contender. That’s all I can say.”

Throughout the season, Soto and Judge formed a powerful batting tandem, occupying the second and third spots in the Yankees’ lineup for a franchise-record 153 games, surpassing the previous record of 145 games held by Joe Dugan and Babe Ruth in 1923, as reported by the Elias Sports Bureau.

“I’m able to see a lot of pitches,” Judge remarked on having Soto in front of him. “He makes for a tough challenge for pitchers right from the first inning, often pushing them to their limits within the first 15 pitches. Having a player of his caliber in the lineup is tremendously beneficial. If it were up to me, I’d take eight Juan Sotos in the batting order any day.”