Giants exec: Aaron Judge staying with Yankees provides 'extra motivation'

The San Francisco Giants always hoped to see Aaron Judge on Opening Day but will face him instead of having him in the lineup at the New York Yankees. 

Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi hopes San Francisco players have a point to prove in the Bronx this coming Thursday. 

"I think it’s going to be fun," Zaidi told Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle about seeing Judge in pinstripes. "We tried to sign him, but he's the opposition now. I think if anything, it provides a little extra motivation for us."

The last time individuals associated with the Giants met with Judge in person, they were attempting to convince the reigning American League Most Valuable Player to relocate to the West Coast and sign with San Francisco as a free agent. Judge grew up a Giants fan as a native of Linden, California, and Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported on Dec. 6 that San Francisco had an offer "believed to be" in the "$360M neighborhood" on the table for the 30-year-old. 

Heyman famously and incorrectly tweeted that same day Judge appeared headed to the Giants. Instead, the four-time All-Star selection returned to the Yankees via a nine-year, $360M agreement and then became the 16th captain in club history. During spring training, Judge made it known he felt he owed the Giants "the courtesy of listening" but always knew in his heart he "wanted to re-sign" with his current employer. 

Last week, Giants Opening Day starting pitcher Logan Webb insisted he will not intentionally plunk Judge. 

"Look, I was as sad as anyone else when he didn’t sign with us," Webb said of Judge during a radio interview. "But he’s a great dude. Happy for him that he got that big contract out there." 

It sounds like Zaidi wouldn't be too upset if Webb offered Judge a little friendly and harmless chin music on the first day of the season.