The San Francisco Giants have had their name constantly associated with one of the biggest free agent names in recent history, such as Aaron Judge.
Coming off a historic, 62 home run season, Judge is expected to get a big payday.
4️⃣4️⃣9️⃣ foot BLAST from Aaron Judge
We’re tied up in Cleveland again 💪 pic.twitter.com/nd7df6lijr
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 16, 2022
While many expect him to stay in New York, the Giants are one of the most likely other spots for him to land.
Here are three reasons why they may have a real chance at the 6-foot-7 slugger.
3. Hometown Kid
Judge was born in Linden, Calif., just two hours away from the city of San Francisco.
Both his parents and in-laws reportedly still live in Linden, possibly making the move even more attractive to Judge.
If he is looking for a change in scenery, the Giants may give him the hometown welcome he is looking for.
Why Barry Bonds’ 1993 season is the reason the Giants need to sign Aaron Judge pic.twitter.com/b4QTYcXW9L
— KNBR (@KNBR) November 4, 2022
2. Giants Reportedly To Be Highest Bidder
Many early reports on free agency have claimed that the Giants will be the highest bidder for Judge.
A source told NJ.com reporter Randy Miller that the Giants were willing to spend whatever it takes to sign Judge following a disappointing season.
However, other reports, including an Oct. 27 piece from Jon Heyman, say that the Yankees are still widely expected to have the highest offer.
1. Hostile Yankees Crowd Drives Players Away
After the Yankees were eliminated from the postseason, there were reports surfacing about players being irked by the fans’ boos during their series against the Houston Astros.
This was especially focused on those directed towards Judge, even after a record setting regular season.
As such, it was said that some of the players were being driven away from the team, and it left a bad taste in the players’ mouths.
While Judge has been largely understanding of Yankees’ fans’ reactions over his time in the Bronx, it is possible that he is feeling uneasy now.
“I understand why there’s boos and why there’s yelling at times”
Aaron Judge was asked about hearing some boos tonight: pic.twitter.com/zbqD13azIp
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) October 23, 2022
This could push him away from a New York offer, and into a smaller San Francisco market with a largely positive fanbase.
Either way, look for the Giants to make their presence known in the free agent market this offseason, with their plans centered around Judge.