TAMPA \u2014 By the middle of Aaron Judge\u2019s 2017 season, it was clear the Yankees would have no reason to swoon over the ultra-talented Bryce Harper when he became a free agent in October 2018.<\/p>\n
That didn\u2019t stop outside voices from begging Hal Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman to sign Harper for more than $300 million despite having Judge, who made $622,300 in 2018 and isn\u2019t eligible for free agency until after the 2022 season.<\/p>\n
Now, Harper is strapped into a 13-year deal worth $330 million<\/a> in Philadelphia and the Harper-to-the-Yankees noise has been muted.<\/p>\n By the time Harper, who turns 27 in October, is done with his first year in Philly and Judge, who\u2019ll be 27 in April, has completed a third full season in The Bronx, there is a chance Judge will have passed Harper.<\/p>\n Of course, Judge has to not only stay on the field he needs to be healthy when playing. In 2017 Judge played in 155 games but with a left shoulder injury that required surgery after the season ended. Last year, he arrived in spring training and was handed a limited work schedule. Then, on July 26, Judge was drilled by a pitch in his right wrist and suffered a chip fracture that kept him out for 45 games.<\/p>\n Now the shoulder and wrist are good and Judge is looking forward to playing a full season devoid of injuries.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s always the goal. Stay away from fastballs high and in and don\u2019t run into too many walls,\u2019\u2019 Judge said Wednesday after he went 0-for-2 with a walk in the Yankees\u2019 9-5 loss at George M. Steinbrenner Field.<\/p>\n In six spring games, Judge is 6-for-15 (.400) with three homers and six RBIs.<\/p>\n Across the last two seasons Judge and Harper are almost even at the plate. Harper has played in 927 big-league games to Judge\u2019s 294 and obviously has an edge in experience. With 1,039 at-bats in two-plus seasons Judge is almost a year away from the 1,500 at-bat mark used by talent evaluators to get a better idea of what type of hitter a player will be moving forward.<\/p>\n Over the past two seasons, Judge\u2019s .993 OPS in 267 games is higher than Harper\u2019s .940 in 270 games. Judge has Harper beat in batting average (.282 to .279), on-base percentage (.409 to .401) slugging (.584 to .539) and homers (79 to 63). Harper\u2019s 187 RBIs are six more than Judge\u2019s.<\/p>\n Two out of three scouts asked to pick one or the other for their team chose Judge.<\/p>\n \u201cMore polished and consistent all-around player,\u2019\u2019 a Judge voter said. \u201cCan beat you with defense, base running and bat. Harper only with bat.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
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