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Top 20 free agents & where they’ll sign part 1

ByNeil Raymond|
NEW YORK, NY - JULY 31: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees runs off the field against the Kansas City Royals during the fifth inning at Yankee Stadium on July 31, 2022 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JULY 31: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees runs off the field against the Kansas City Royals during the fifth inning at Yankee Stadium on July 31, 2022 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images)
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The Miami Marlins need to spend more money in free agency, and there’s definitely a road to the playoffs in 2023. We will probably do more in trades than in free agency, but it’s still intriguing to see who will sign where. Let’s take a look at the top 20 free agents and where they will probably sign, as well as for how much.

The Miami Marlins will be involved in a busy free agent market headlined by Aaron Judge.

1. Aaron Judge, RF 

8 years/$320 million with the San Francisco Giants.

Aaron Judge
NEW YORK, NY – JULY 31: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees runs off the field against the Kansas City Royals during the fifth inning at Yankee Stadium on July 31, 2022 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images)

I wrote about Aaron Judge before and I think that my point still stands. Judge turned down a 7 year/$213.5MM contract extension from the New York Yankees before the season, but has since batted .311/.425/.686 with 62 HR and 131 RBI in 157 games and 570 AB. He produced a remarkable 10.6 WAR to top it all off.

Aaron Judge also set a new American League home run record in the process, as well as the non-steroid MLB home run record. He even played well in CF, despite RF being his natural position, and one that he will almost certainly sign to play with his next contract.

He could’ve had a case for 10 years if he was younger, but 8 years seems like the longest he can do being 31 years old next season. Judge received a qualifying offer, but will obviously reject it and it won’t affect his market. Judge’s shaky health history (he missed more than half of his career on the IL), and has a reputation is injury-prone. The fact that he was so bad during the playoffs (and even got booed at Yankee Stadium), will give GM Brian Cashman some excuse in potentially failing to keep him in New York.

I suspect that the New York Yankees leaked his last contract offer to have an excuse not to re-sign him. Judge was understandably pretty upset, add that he was missing with the bat during the playoffs when needed, and the Bronx Bombers let somebody else take the risk. The San Francisco Giants are his hometown team basically and badly need bats, while having the desire to spend as well. My guess is he ends up going home.

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