After hitting a grounder to first base, Aaron Judge had to watch Houston Astros closer Ryan Pressly and Yuli Gurriel celebrate securing a place in the World Series. It was a bitter end to a difficult postseason for both Judge and the entire New York Yankees organization.
While the Yankees as a whole struggled in the ALCS, it was Aaron Judge's struggles in the postseason that raised concerns from New York fans. In 36 at-bats in the playoffs, Judge managed only five hits, ending his postseason with a paltry .138 batting average and 15 strikeouts.

"Aaron Judge during this ALCS" - @NGLP124
With the season now over for the New York Yankees, General Manager Brian Cashman and his staff will shift their attention to their pending free agents, most notably, their potential AL MVP. While the team attempted to re-sign their superstar outfielder before the season, an agreement couldn't be reached with Judge electing to bet on himself to secure a more lucrative deal.
"I’m all for the SF Giants giving Judge an enormous contract. I need Brett Garder patrolling CF in the Bronx" - Nicky The Good
Entering the 2022 season, the New York Yankees offered their star outfielder a 7-year, $213.5 million contract extension that Judge and his agent rejected. The deal would have made Judge the highest-paid position player in Yankee history. If the Yankees hope to extend their slugger, they will need to drastically increase their offer following Aaron's historic season.
According to super-agent Leigh Steinberg, Judge may have secured himself a deal in the ballpark of 10-years for $500 million. This would instantly become the richest contract in baseball history. While the numbers may sound outrageous, Steinberg did help negotiate Patrick Mahomes' 10-year, $450 million extension with the Kansas City Chiefs.
A recap of Aaron Judge's historic season
Unless you have completely ignored the MLB this season, you know that Judge is the new American League home run king. The Yankees' slugger surpassed Roger Maris for both the New York Yankees and the American League single-season home run record.
He finished the 2022 season with 62 home runs, a .311 batting average, and 131 RBIs, helping lead the Yankees to a division title thanks to a 99-63 record. While the postseason was abysmal for Judge and the Yankees, his regular season was sensational.
"This shaping up for Aaron Judge to possibly make the last out of the season would just be the shit icing on this turd cake" - Tommy Smokes
What a season to gamble on yourself and secure a contract never seen before in league history.