Everything we know about the Aaron Judge contract talks, including a late pitch by Padres - The Athletic

SAN DIEGO — Aaron Judge agreed to return to the New York Yankees early Wednesday morning on a landmark nine-year, $360 million contract, but only after a last-minute push from a surprise entrant in the sweepstakes for the free-agent slugger — the San Diego Padres.

The deal is two years longer and worth $146.5 million more than the seven-year, $213.5 million extension offer Judge rejected from the Yankees at the end of spring training.

Club officials met face-to-face with Aaron Judge on Tuesday night at Petco Park in San Diego, four sources briefed on the matter told The Athletic.

Before Turner agreed to a $300 million deal with the Phillies, the Padres offered the shortstop a $342 million guarantee spread out over at least 11 years, according to a person with knowledge of the discussions.

The Padres would have become the first major-league team to carry three $300 million players — Judge, Tatis and Manny Machado.

Instead, that distinction will go to the Yankees, who have pitcher Gerrit Cole on a nine-year, $324 million contract and Giancarlo Stanton on a 13-year, $325 million deal they acquired from the Marlins.