Cubs: Aaron Judge remains a possibility, despite what random exec has to say

Despite what a rival executive has to say, the Chicago Cubs remain a possibility for Aaron Judge — just like every team in MLB.

Seriously, it’s that simple.

The Cubs have money to spend, just like the rest of baseball. With television contracts going up, as well as the luxury tax, Chicago will be upping its payroll in the years to come. Expect some of that to come in the form of rich free-agent contract.

Judge would be a surprise, absolutely. He’s expected to receive a deal north of $350 million, especially after an AL MVP season (assuming he continues at his current pace). But who wouldn’t want to play at Wrigley Field? Judge has proven he knows how to handle a big market, making New York look quite small, after all.

A .300/.378/.644 slash line in a contract year suggests he knows how to handle all of this. He could be the face of the next Chicago World Series team, if Jed Hoyer and the Ricketts family lets him.

Cubs, Aaron Judge pairing could still happen

Heck, last Winter we were discussing the optics of a Correa-Cubs match. What’s so different about Judge? Who knows how his contract talks play out?

Yes, Chicago is likely a late bloomer, as in they won’t be the largest offer on the table from the jump. The Cubs are the team Judge’s agency will turn to if they don’t receive the lucrative contract they envisioned at the start of free agency. And, frankly, that’s a possibility.

Judge has injury concerns. He’s on the wrong side of 30. These are the arguments teams will use against him.

A Chicago-Judge pairing is unlikely, if only due to the number of teams reportedly interested months ahead of time. But one random executive suggesting he won’t sign with a ‘loser’ franchise is more of a headline grab than anything else.