Former MLB GM says Yankees must improve offer to re-sign Aaron Judge

Former New York Mets general manager Steve Phillips has made it known he believes the New York Yankees must up their offer to hang onto Aaron Judge. 

It was reported on Wednesday that the Yankees "have an offer on the table in the neighborhood of eight years and $300 million" for the 2022 American League Most Valuable Player. 

Per Bridget Hyland of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, Phillips explained during an appearance on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM that he thinks "it’s going to take more than that" for the Yankees to avoid being outbid by the San Francisco Giants. 

Judge is a native of Linden, California, and grew up a fan of the Giants. He reportedly had a "very productive" meeting with San Francisco last week.

Phillips said during the segment that the Giants "got a chance to get" Judge if they "go to the ninth year" of a contract that includes guaranteed money. 

"And if they do, then does he go back to the Yankees and say, 'Listen, you know, if you go to a 10th year, then the deal is yours, we’ll make the deal and come back,'' Phillips continued. "And so I’m not sure that eight at $300 [million] is gonna get it done. And the timing of that really matters for the Yankees. Because I gotta tell you, I don’t know how to build the Yankees without Aaron Judge and make them competitive."

It was also reported on Wednesday that it is believed Judge will confirm his free agency decision "very soon." SNY’s Andy Martino said "it would be a mild surprise" if the Judge saga doesn't conclude by the end of next week's winter meetings in San Diego. 

Judge rejected New York's seven-year, $213.5 million contract extension offer ahead of this past campaign and then set a new AL single-season record of 62 home runs. According to ESPN's Jesse Rogers, seven of "a dozen team executives and MLB insiders" recently polled said they think the 30-year-old will "get a package worth more than $320 million," likely from either the Yankees or Giants.