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TAMPA — Let the negotiations begin.
Aaron Judge and the Yankees couldn’t come to terms on a new deal to avoid arbitration by Tuesday’s deadline, with Judge asking for $21 million and the Yankees offering $17 million.
But the passing of Tuesday’s deadline doesn’t mean the sides will stop talking, with Judge a year away from becoming a first-time free agent.
As The Post’s Joel Sherman reported, the team is preparing to speak to Judge about a long-term extension in the next week.
Judge made it clear last week that while he’s willing to talk about a contract with the Yankees now, once Opening Day rolls around on April 7, the right fielder won’t have any more discussions with the team until the season is over.
If there is no deal before the season and Judge sticks to his plan of not negotiating during the season, the Yankees would still have an exclusive window to negotiate with Judge until he’d hit the open market as a free agent for the first time.
While Judge and the Yankees didn’t settle, the team did come to agreements with their other arbitration-eligible players. Joey Gallo got $10.275 million, Gleyber Torres $6.25 million, Jordan Montgomery $6 million, Isiah Kiner-Falefa $4.75 million, Wandy Peralta $2.15 million. Chad Green, Clay Holmes, Jonathan Loaisiga and Jameson Taillon also received one-year deals.
Judge turns 30 next month and is coming off his best and healthiest season since his rookie year of 2017.
“I’ve been vocal that I want to stay here in pinstripes,’’ Judge said earlier this spring. “If that happens, it happens. But if it comes to it that it doesn’t [happen], like I’ve said before, I’ve enjoyed my memories here and time with … my teammates.”
Judge and his camp are no doubt looking at the deals signed by other premier outfielders in recent years, Mookie Betts, Bryce Harper and Mike Trout — as well as teammate Giancarlo Stanton — who all signed free-agent contracts that last at least until they’re 37.
But this past free-agent period, coming out of the MLB lockout, was anything but predictable, with Carlos Correa signing a shorter deal — and with a surprise team — while Trevor Story got six years from Boston.
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