Cross off the conspiracy theory that has Yankees star Aaron Judge moving crosstown to the Mets this coming winter.
Almost immediately after the Yankees and their great slugger broke off contract talks, speculation started that had Judge moving eight miles by subway to the southeast. And it did make some sense.
Here’s the theory: Mets owner Steve Cohen, who tops MLB in both money ($15 billion plus) and motivation (seemingly limitless), loves stars almost as much as he likes to spend, and the only thing coming between Judge and the Yankees is a little loot.
Beyond that, Judge is a proven New York performer beloved in all boroughs (though he has heard a few boos in The Bronx after rejecting the Yankees’ $213.5 million extension offer), and Cohen can afford a whole borough, never mind a player and his chambers. To this point, Cohen shows precious little restraint, even if the other 29 owners have tried hard to rein him in with that fourth-tier $290 million luxury-tax threshold and usurious 80 percent tax above it. To that, he says: whatevs.
Cohen already owns the game’s best-paid pitcher and shortstop, so why not the game’s best-paid outfielder, as Judge believes he should be?
While all that is logical, the facts don’t support the case, your honor. Here’s the judgment that counts: Cohen is telling folks he thinks the Yankees made a “very fair” offer to Judge.
Such sentiment suggests he wouldn’t go past that bid, and certainly not far enough past to get Judge to move himself and his chambers to Queens.
While it isn’t yet known whether Cohen has any financial limits, the Mets’ outfield situation is already strong. The clear need next winter is very likely to resolve a rotation situation complicated by super ace Jacob deGrom’s latest injury and strong resolve to opt out of the contract he hates.
And while Cohen hasn’t demonstrated any interest beyond improving his club, at least one person absolutely could not envision the relatively new Mets owner doing something so overt to hurt his crosstown rival.