Yankees thought they'd lose Aaron Judge after explosive interview

Some within the New York Yankees were convinced All-Star Aaron Judge hinted in an interview he was heading elsewhere. 

"I had that feeling that we were going to lose him," an unnamed Yankees official told ESPN's Buster Olney about Judge for a piece published Wednesday. 

That official was referring to comments that Judge gave to Time magazine regarding Yankees general manager Brian Cashman publicly revealing the terms of the offer Judge rejected earlier in the year. 

"We kind of said, 'Hey, let’s keep this between us,'" Judge recalled. "I was a little upset that the numbers came out. I understand it’s a negotiation tactic. Put pressure on me. Turn the fans against me, turn the media on me. That part of it I didn’t like." 

Cashman told reporters ahead of Opening Day that Judge had declined New York's seven-year, $213.5 million contract extension offer. The executive later said he was "unaware" Judge was displeased details about the offer were disclosed, and Olney noted that Cashman had informed the player's agent he would eventually announce specifics about the proposal "so that the team's fans would know the Yankees made an earnest attempt to keep the slugger." 

Judge ultimately remained with the Yankees via a nine-year, $360 million agreement. 

As shared by Ryan Chichester of Audacy, Cashman told reporters last week that Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner "was the Mariano Rivera" of closing the deal with Judge. Olney reported that manager Aaron Boone advised Judge to call Steinbrenner on the night of Dec. 6 while the owner was on vacation in Italy, and it was during that discussion that the reigning American League Most Valuable Player declared his desire to stay put and that Steinbrenner met Judge's asking price. 

Judge and the Yankees haven't officially signed the deal because he first elected to travel with his wife to Hawaii to celebrate their first wedding anniversary.