AL Notes: Yankees Name Judge Captain, Benintendi Signs With ChiSox, Turner To Boston

The New York Yankees took care of business earlier this month by re-signing 2022 American League MVP Aaron Judge to a nine-year, $360 million deal, and not surprisingly at a press conference in New York on Wednesday, the 30-year-old outfielder was named the 16^th team captain in club history.

Judge fielded offers from the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres but in the end, a phone call from Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner put the finishing touch of keeping the big slugger in pinstripes for the next nine seasons.

“I was back in California. I was on the phone with Hal, he shot me a message, kind of ‘what’s the holdup? What’s it going to take to get this to the finish line.’ ” Judge said. “We hopped on a quick call, and I knew he was busy and he said it doesn’t matter the time, give me a call and we work some things out.”

Steinbrenner indicated that Judge’s impact in the locker room was just as important as his on the field, and was a big part of why he wanted to make him the first Yankees captain since Derek Jeter.

“(Hal) spoke about Thurman Munson (being) his favorite player, and how the captain and that honor is to not only him and his family but the team and this organization and presented that to me.” Judge said.  “I was kind of at a loss for words. I don’t think I said anything for it felt like five minutes but it was probably only a couple of seconds, but I was taken aback because that is such an incredible honor.”

The Yankees continued their busy offseason with the signing of lefty free agent ace Carlos Rodon to a six-year, $162 million deal last week, but likely have more moves to make after outfielder Andrew Benintendi signed with the Chicago White Sox.

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Benintendi, 28, agreed to a five-year, $75 million deal after hitting .304 with Kansas City and New York last season, but did not have the impact as expected in the Bronx after suffering a broken hamate bone in early September.

The Yankees internal options in the outfield after Judge and center fielder Harrison Bader are questionable, with Aaron Hicks continuing to struggle with injury and rookie Oswaldo Cabrera untested. Houston re-signed free agent Michael Brantley to a one-year, $12 million deal on Tuesday, but there continues to be speculation that New York has an interest in former Met Michael Conforto, who missed all of last season with a shoulder injury.

After losing Xander Bogaerts to San Diego, DH JD Martinez to Los Angeles, and striking out on wooing shortstop Dansby Swanson to Boston, the Red Sox signed former Dodger Justin Turner to a two-year, $22 million deal. Turner, 38, who was part of the Dodgers championship squad in 2020, hit .278 with 13 home runs last season and is expected to replace Martinez at DH.