Will New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge become a free agent in 2023?

Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees has been the talk of the baseball world this season. It seems as though Judge is almost certain to win the AL MVP Award.

Judge hit his 61st home run of the season this week against the Toronto Blue Jays. Apart from leading the league in home runs, he also leads it in RBIs and batting average. This places him in good standing to win the first Triple Crown since Detroit Tigers star Miguel Cabrera did so in 2012.

With his 61st home run, Judge has surpassed Babe Ruth. Ruth, a Yankees legend, hit 60 home runs in 1927. This unambiguously places Judge among a select company.

Moreover, he only has one more home run to go before he sets the MLB single-season record. Judge's 61 home runs are tied with Roger Maris, who hit 61 homers in 1961, which stands as the commonly accepted MLB home run record.

"Clearly Aaron Judge is pressing, so here’s my idea: Pay Roger Maris Jr. a million dollars next year to follow Judge around starting in April. Could be the biggest free agent acquisition this offseason." - @ Razzball

Both Roger Maris Jr. and Aaron Judge's mother were present in Toronto to witness history when Judge hit his 61st against the Blue Jays.

However, with the season winding down, many are wondering what kind of future Judge has with the team. The star rejected a seven-year deal before the season started that was worth an estimated $200 million.

Judge instead opted for a one-year deal that saw him pocket about $19 million. However, there is speculation that he could seriously be exploring his options come the offseason.

Judge will be an unrestricted free agent for the 2023 season. This means that he is at full liberty to decide where to play next. This could go in one of two directions.

Perhaps Judge, enamored with the fanfare he has received in the Bronx, will decide to stay. Judge has become a fan favorite in New York and could possibly see reasons to stay now.

"Aaron Judge's 61st home run highlight is being shown between innings in San Francisco. Say, did you know he's going to be a free agent?" - @ Andrew Baggarly

Or perhaps Judge could shop around. The New York Mets have reportedly been very interested, as well as teams like the San Francisco Giants and LA Dodgers. This makes sense as Judge is a California native.

Aaron Judge eyes history before making any brash moves

Baltimore Orioles vs. New York Yankees.

Regardless of where Aaron Judge decides to go next year, there is still work to be done this year. Judge has a week to set the all-time home run record. Additionally, the New York Yankees have now clinched the top spot in their division. If the team wants to go further in October, everyone knows Judge will have a massive role to play.