Yankees to make contract extension offer to Aaron Judge before Opening Day

Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees couldn't come to terms before the MLB arbitration deadline earlier this week, but general manager Brian Cashman still thinks the team could hammer out an extension with its star right fielder soon.

"Between now and Opening Day we'll make an offer and he'll obviously receive an offer and all the conversations will have taken place and will either resolve into a multiyear deal or it won't," Cashman said Saturday, according to The Associated Press (via ESPN). "We're committed. We'll make an offer and hear what he has to say in response, and then it will be pencils down before Opening Day."

Judge, 29, was the American League Rookie of the Year in 2017 when he led the league in home runs with 52 and walks with 127. He earned All-Star honors again in 2018, but dealt with injuries for much of the next two seasons before making his return to the All-Star Game in 2021. He finished fourth in AL MVP voting last year after hitting 39 home runs with 98 runs batted in.

While Judge is due to reach free agency next year, he told reporters that he "wants to be a Yankee for life" and thinks the two sides can "find a number that works for both" parties.

The Yankees are scheduled to begin the regular season on April 7 with a series at home against the Boston Red Sox.