New York Yankees and Mets accused of colluding to damage Aaron Judge free agent market

On Wednesday, The Athletic reported that MLB has opened an investigation ordered by the MLBPA into the possibility that the two New York baseball franchises have been working together to weaken Judge’s free agent market this winter.

The Players Association’s concerns started when the website for the Mets’ television network, SNY, posted a story earlier this month explaining the organization’s indifference to signing Aaron Judge. “The team sees Judge as a Yankee, uniquely tailored to be an icon in their uniform. … Owners Steve Cohen and Hal Steinbrenner enjoy a mutually respectful relationship, and do not expect to upend that with a high-profile bidding war.”

The current collective bargaining agreement strictly prohibits that “Players shall not act in concert with other Players and Clubs shall not act in concert with other Clubs.” The PA has the right to file a grievance and The Athletic adds that the investigation could require the owners of the two teams to provide “records of any phone, text and email conversations that took place between them during the period in question.”

The New York Mets not being involved in the race for Aaron Judge does take a major money player out of the chase and will make it far easier for the New York Yankees to re-sign their homegrown superstar.