Pondering Judge’s future after Trout’s record contract

TAMPA, Fla. — Had free agency existed in baseball during Joe DiMaggio’s career, well, you’ve probably heard how the Yankee Clipper would’ve opened negotiations.

“George, you and I are about to become partners.”

DiMaggio imagined that discussion during George Steinbrenner’s heyday as Yankees owner, not long after The Boss signed Dave Winfield to a 10-year, $23 million contract in 1980.

Baseball’s annual average salary was about $144,000 back then.

Today’s average is at nearly $4.5 million — and growing, with the news out of Southern California on Tuesday.

Mike Trout is about to sign a staggering 12-year, $430 million contract to remain with the Angels, as first reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

And that figure blows away the 13-year, $330 million free-agent contract that Bryce Harper signed less than a month ago, a three-week reign as owner of baseball’s all-time highest contract.

And that gets one to thinking: Is it time to lock up Aaron Judge now?

Right now, Judge is earning $684,300 in his final season before being eligible for arbitration.

To put that in some perspective, Judge’s 2019 salary is slightly over one-third of Yankees backup catcher Austin Romine’s $1.8 million contract. And it’s a fraction of the $36 million Trout is set to earn this year, as his new contract will reportedly replace the old one.

Such is the reality of players in their pre-arbitration years, a bargaining position that is bound to be addressed by the Major League Baseball Players Association ahead of the expiration of the current collective bargaining agreement in 2021.

Judge will turn 27 next month, the same age as Trout, who broke into the majors in 2011 and had previously signed a sixyear, $144.5 million contract with the Angels.

Trout was due to become a free agent in 2021 and was already hearing public suggestions by Harper to come back home to South Jersey and join the Phillies in two years.

Judge, who playfully

told impending superstar free agent Manny Machado last spring that he’d look good in pinstripes, isn’t eligible to be a free agent until the 2023 season, when he’ll be 31.

Already this spring training, the Yankees have successfully negotiated contract extensions with two of their core players.

As it happens, both will begin the year on the injured list.

Luis Severino (right shoulder inflammation) signed a four-year, $40 million deal that takes him through his final arbitration years and at least one season of free agency.

Hicks (lower back soreness) was headed into his free-agent walk year before he signed a seven-year, $70 million extension.

Trout signed his first mega-deal with the Angels after his first two full big league seasons, when he finished runner-up in the AL MVP award balloting.

Judge is entering his third full big league season, the first of which resulted in runner-up AL MVP status.

The Yankees’ ability to control Judge into his age 30-season gives them some additional leverage, but it could be time — perhaps beginning next offseason — to explore a fair-market long-term deal.

Would Judge take a guaranteed longer-term guarantee for a shorter annual average contract?

Would something along the lines of a 10year, $250 million deal — one that would take Judge through age 37 — get his attention?

Would the Yankees even begin such discussions?

Bill Kostroun / Associated Press The Yankees’ Aaron Judge follows through on a two-run home run against the Athletics during their American League wild-card game Oct. 3.