Yankees Have No Choice But to Hold off on Aaron Judge Contract Extension

Aaron Judge has been out of commission for the last three weeks due to some shoulder soreness that has resurfaced. He still hasn't taken outdoor batting practice since the team arrived in Florida for Spring Training.

Of course, the New York Yankees want to extend him, as he has had three stellar seasons since his debut in 2017, but his inability to stay healthy is preventing him from securing a deal. Judge's injury history -- and his prevailing issues entering Spring Training -- is forcing Brian Cashman and Co. to wait, as it's in their best interest not to force an extension with an injury-riddled star.

He has had continuous testing, and thankfully, every assessment has come back negative. Don't forget that Luis Severino had tests done, but the tear in his UCL that required Tommy John Surgery wasn't found until earlier this week when he had a dye contrast MRI.

Confidence in the Yankees medical staff is low among fans, and they have every right to feel that way after the last year-plus.

Judge is prone to injury and has had a lengthy history of such ailments. After a 152-game campaign in his 2017 rookie year, he only played 112 games in 2018 and 102 in 2019. It's hard to give a player an extension when you just can't trust them to stay healthy.

Judge does deserve a big extension for his level of play in the past three seasons, but he has yet to prove that he has any durability. Until that time comes, expect the Yankees to hold off.