Major League Baseball has reportedly found that the New York Yankees and New York Mets have not colluded to depress the market for free agent slugger Aaron Judge.
Time reported Tuesday that MLB found “no basis” for any collusion claims.
“We’ve completed our investigation,” a senior MLB executive said (via Time). “And we’ve notified the MLBPA that there is no basis for any claim of collusion.”
The Athletic reported last week that the Mets and Yankees were under scrutiny by MLB for improper communication regarding Judge. The MLBPA had raised concerns that the teams had violated the MLB CBA.
The players union first raised an issue with possible collusion after reading a report stating that Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner and Mets owner Steve Cohen “enjoy a mutually respectful relationship, and do not expect to upend that with a high-profile bidding war [for Judge].”
The Yankees are viewed as the favorite to retain Judge, but the Mets are seen as a leading contender. But the action for Judge is picking up. A recent report indicates the Los Angeles Dodgers have stepped up their pursuit of the superstar. Judge met with the San Francisco Giants Tuesday.
MLB Network’s Jon Morosi told San Francisco radio station KNBR Tuesday that he believes the Judge sweepstakes are down to either the Yankees or Giants.
“There’s an overwhelming chance that he’ll sign with the Yankees or the Giants, that they probably account for 80% to 90% of the outcome at least from where I sit, looking at this market right now,” Morosi said (via KNBR). “And I think he’s going to have plenty of money at either place. He cannot lose because he’s got the right teams involved, at the right time, coming off the right kind of season.”
