ESPN's Tim Kurkjian says Aaron Judge is 'exactly' what Giants need

ESPN's Tim Kurkjian said Thursday during an appearance on the "Murph and Mac" podcast that the Giants should pursue Yankees star Aaron Judge in free agency this winter.

Kurkjian said the Giants need to "go out and make a massive move in free agency" with the Dodgers at the top of the NL West and the Padres on the rise, adding that Judge is "exactly what they need." 

While Kurkjian cautions he's not making a prediction with his comments, the connections between Judge and the Giants are too obvious to ignore. Judge was raised about 75 miles from San Francisco and was a Giants fan growing up. 

If the Giants are willing to go as far as the Yankees will go in negotiations, the allure of playing for the hometown team could mean something to Judge. 

The biggest obstacle, aside from money: the Yankees have every reason not to let Judge walk after an MVP-caliber season, even if it means giving him a massive contract. 

If teams like the Giants want a reason to be hopeful, the Yankees clearly had a line they wouldn't cross during contract negotiations with Judge in the spring. Whether Judge's historic season has forced that line to move remains to be seen. 

As difficult as it might be to let Judge leave after such a historic year, it's a scenario we have seen before. The Braves wouldn't give Freddie Freeman the contract he wanted after he led the team to a championship, so he bolted for his hometown Dodgers. Could we see Judge consider a homecoming as well?