Feinsand: "Yankees to spend time, money to bring Aaron Judge back"

It is no real surprise that the New York Yankees will be concentrating the bulk of their free agent efforts on re-signing free agent outfielder Aaron Judge. However, if Judge decides to move on, MLB Insider Mark Feinsand figures the Bronx Bombers will move to shore up their starting staff by making a third attempt at putting free agent pitcher Justin Verlander in pinstripes.

“The Yankees made a bid for Verlander last offseason before he ultimately re-upped with the Astros. [NYY] figures to spend most of its time -- and potentially its money -- to bring Aaron Judge back to [NY], but if the AL MVP leaves . . [NYY] could pivot to [Verlander],” Feinsand said, as tweeted by the Michigan Yankees.

Feinsand: “The Yankees made a bid for Verlander last offseason before he ultimately re-upped with the Astros. [NYY] figures to spend most of its time -- and potentially its money -- to bring Aaron Judge back to [NY], but if the AL MVP leaves . . [NYY] could pivot to [Verlander].” --@MichiganYankees

Retaining Aaron Judge remains Yankees' prime goal

Aaron Judge is the cream of this offseason's free agent crop, with a number of teams believed to be interested in acquiring his services going forward. Among those teams are the Yankees, with whom Judge has spent his entire seven-year MLB career, as well as the crosstown New York Mets.

Judge, who turned down the Yankees’ seven-year, $213.5MM extension offer back during Spring Training, went on to the biggest season of his major league career in 2022. He broke the American League single-season home run record with 62 round-trippers, and nearly won the AL Triple Crown before being named the league's MVP.

Major League Baseball Trade Rumors writer Steve Adams predicts Judge will ink a contract with someone in the range of eight years, $332 million. Adam Wells of Bleacher Report reported on Nov. 18th that the Yankees have made a new contract offer to Judge. Details of that contract offer have not been made public.

Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees hugs Justin Verlander #35 of the Houston Astros during batting practice

If not Aaron Judge, then Justin Verlander?

Justin Verlander, currently 39-years of age, was a unanimous choice for the 2022 American League Cy Young Award. He had an MLB-best 1.75 ERA and 0.83 WHIP while topping the AL with 18 wins to help the Houston Astros to the World Series title.

Verlander opted out of the final year of a two-year contract with the Astros, in which he was scheduled to make $25 million in 2023. He is reportedly seeking a new contract on par with the three-year, $130 million contract that Max Scherzer signed with the Mets prior to the 2022 season.

After the 2017 season, the Yankees courted Verlander. Instead, Verlander re-signed with the Astros, who had acquired him from the Detroit Tigers in a Deadline Day trade a few months earlier.

Prior to this season, the Yankees again attempted to acquire Verlander's services, despite the hurler having thrown one game in 2020 and none in 2021. Verlander had undergone Tommy John Surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right throwing arm. Instead, Verlander re-upped with the Astros.