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Then in 2017, Judge’s official rookie year, he began writing his name into the record books. He set the then-record for home runs in a rookie season that catapulted him toward numerous milestones. Since then, Judge has been a four-time American League All-Star selection. However, the Yankees didn’t just get a slugging machine at the plate. Judge has also proven to be a reliable defensive presence in the field, winning both the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award as a right fielder and the Fielding Bible Award for right fielders in 2021. As 2022 opened, Judge was entering the final year of his contract, and there was concern that he would walk away from the franchise as a free agent. However, in early December, Judge signed the biggest contract ever given to a free agent in MLB history after agreeing to a $360 million deal over nine years with the Yankees. This ensured that the face of the franchise and possibly the entire league would stay with the team where he began his career.

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Aaron Judge