MLB podcaster believes Aaron Judge ‘trapped himself’ by penning new $360,000,000 Yankees deal

This time last year, there was significant doubt surrounding Aaron Judge's future with free agency on the horizon.

Thankfully for the New York Yankees, they were able to convince the AL MVP to pen a nine-year contract worth $360,000,000 – a deal that virtually guarantees that Judge will remain in pinstripes for the rest of his career.

Fast forward to the present, and the Yankees are in deep peril. The Bronx Bombers are rock bottom in the AL East, trailing the division-leading Tampa Bay Rays by nine games and two games behind in the wild-card race.

But their problems aren’t limited to just the present. The Yankees haven’t looked like a World Series-winning outfit in many years and there is little to suggest that is going to change any time soon.

Judge’s extension draws comparisons to the Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout re-signing with the franchise in 2019. Trout’s decision to continue with the Angels raised many eyebrows, considering the fact that they haven’t made the postseason since 2014.

Both Trout and Judge are future, first-ballot Hall of Famers - two legendary careers that deserve at least one World Series title in their list of accolades.

However, just like Trout, many believe that Judge runs the risk of not winning the holy grail by committing his entire career to the Yankees organization. One of them is MLB podcaster Jared Carrabis.

"At what point do we start talking about Aaron Judge the same way we talk about Mike Trout?" Carrabis tweeted. "A superstar player who willingly trapped himself within an incompetent franchise that is incapable of winning anything.”

The Yankees have been woeful without Aaron Judge

The Yankees continue to struggle offensively without Aaron Judge. Since the AL MVP’s injury on June 3, the Yankees have a 15-21 record, and they have scored two runs or less in 14 games. In the same period, the team has compiled a batting average of .217 – a major league worst.

Luckily for the Yankees, Judge is getting closer to making a return.

"More progress for Aaron Judge, who is now running bases for the first time since his injury," Bryan Hoch tweeted.

It remains to be seen if Judge's impending return is a matter of days or weeks, but it can't come soon enough for the Yankees.