NEW YORK (AP) Aaron Judge agreed to an $8.5 million, one-year contract Friday with the New York Yankees, who also reached a $12.5 million deal with left-hander James Paxton and a $5 million agreement with catcher Gary Sanchez.
All three players were eligible for salary arbitration.
Judge, who made $684,300 last season, turns 28 in April and hit .272 with 27 homers and 55 RBIs in 102 games. The 2017 AL Rookie of the Year after hitting 52 home runs, he was sidelined last season between April 20 and June 21 by a strained left oblique muscle. The outfielder’s power did not return until late August. He hit .265 in the postseason with one homer, two RBIs and 11 strikeouts in 34 at-bats.
Paxton, a 31-year-old left-hander, went 15-6 with a 3.82 ERA in his first season after the Yankees acquired him from Seattle, going 10-0 in his final 11 regular season starts and 1-0 with a 3.46 ERA in three postseason starts. He made $8,575,000 last year and is eligible for free agency after this year’s World Series.
The 27-year-old Sanchez batted .232 with 34 homers and 77 RBIs, his defense improving at times but lapsing at others. He was out with a strained left calf between April 10 and 24 and a strained left groin between July 23 and Aug. 10. Sanchez hit .129 in the playoffs with one homer, three RBIs and 16 strikeouts in 31 at-bats. He made $669,800.
The Yankees won’t need any arbitration hearings after also agreeing to deals with right-handers Luis Cessa, Chad Green, Jonathan Holder and Tommy Kahnle; left-hander Jordan Montgomery and third baseman Gio Urshela.
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