At his Turn 2 Foundation Dinner on Wednesday night, former Yankee Derek Jeter added his two cents to the Aaron Judge free agency speculation that has taken New York and Major League Baseball by storm.
The Hall of Fame shortstop mentioned that he hasn’t been around the team that much recently but that he has gotten to know Judge a little bit more over the last year and a half.
“I don’t know. As an athlete this is what you look forward to, getting an opportunity as a free agent,” Jeter said. “Most athletes don’t even reach free agency, and then when you actually reach it, you have choices. You make the choice that you think is best for you and your family. But I’m sure it’s probably going to be a difficult one for him, I would assume. Maybe it won’t be, I don’t know.”
Like Jeter, people have equated Judge as a Yankee for life and find it difficult to see him in a new uniform and not donning the pinstripes after this season.
And while Jeter’s comments weren't necessarily a plea for Judge to stay in the Bronx, when asked if he ever pictured himself in a different uniform, playing for somebody else, Jeter said no.
“I told them I wasn’t going anywhere, so no of course,” he said. “That was the first thing I told them.”
Whether Judge remains as loyal as Jeter was to the team that drafted him remains to be seen, but until he signs with a team this offseason the entire world will have an opinion.
As for Aaron Boone, who earlier on Wednesday got the vote of confidence from team owner Hal Steinbrenner and who will remain with the team next season, Jeter seemed happy for his former teammate.
“Good for Aaron, I like Aaron, I played with Aaron. Sometimes when you’re in a situation like that it’s almost like you’re in a no-win situation. Unless you win, right?” Jeter said with a smile. “But I like Aaron and once again I haven’t been around the team, like I have had my head down in Miami for four and a half years so I wasn’t paying close attention, but I like Aaron and he puts them in a position every year to have that chance to win and ultimately it comes down to the players right?”