February 25, 2021 12:39 AM : Judge and the Yankees have not yet engaged in talks about a contract extension, Brendan Kuty of The Newark Star-Ledger reports.
Analysis: Judge isn't set to become a free agent until 2023 -- next season will be his final year of arbitration -- so the lack of extension talks is not necessarily telling when it comes to interpreting the Yankees' interest in locking him up long term. Still, the slugger has missed over 140 regular-season games over the past three seasons, so it wouldn't be shocking if New York has some level of trepidation about his ability to stay on the field. A healthy and productive 2021 campaign would likely ease those fears and set Judge up for a massive payday.