San Francisco Giants' Joc Pederson has added fuel to the flames that Aaron Judge will end up in the Bay Area in 2023. He is from Palo Alto, California and grew up less than an hour away from Oracle Park.
If anyone can understand the joys of playing in front of your home fans, it's Pederson. He has quickly become a fan favorite and is now lobbying for Judge to join him.
The Aaron Judge contract drama is still not resolved. The 2022 American League MVP seems to be dragging out the negotiations to listen to all offers. Judge was raised in Northern California in the town of Linden. Pederson's latest post on Instagram has stirred the debate on whether Judge stays or goes.
The slugger recently touched down at the San Francisco International Airport and has Giants fans buzzing at the idea of him coming home.
Many MLB fans, especially New York Yankees fans, aren't convinced Judge is leaving. The four-time All-Star recently stated in an interview that he prioritized winning over all else. He said:
“For me, it’s — I want to win,”
However, some fans aren't convinced that San Francisco is the place for Judge if his ultimate goal is to win championships. The Giants finished with a 81-81 record. They were third in the National League West behind the talent-filled Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres.
The Giants have not won a World Series since 2014 when they defeated the Kansas City Royals 4-3.
2022 AL MVP Aaron Judge will have his pick of teams in the offseason
Aaron Judge is without a doubt the prized asset of this year's free agency candidates. He led the league in almost every major offensive category and nearly finished with the Triple Crown.
He broke the AL single-season home run record held by fellow Yankee Roger Maris since 1961. Along with his 62 home runs, Judge recorded 131 RBIs, 177 hits, and 133 runs.
He led the MLB in home runs, RBIs, runs, OBP, slugging and OPS. He was selected to the All-Star game for the second consecutive season and won the MVP Award over Shohei Ohtani.
Brian Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner only have themselves to blame if Judge does decide to leave the Big Apple. The Yankees executives had several opportunities to close a deal for the power-hitting slugger but failed to do so.
The ball is now in Aaron Judge's court. There is a real possibility that the California native will decide to return home.
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