With pitchers and catchers reporting this week and position players set to join them a few days later, Aaron Judge will soon suit up in the same colors as Carlos Rodón for the first time, only it will be in the Yankees’ clubhouse at 1 Steinbrenner Drive in Tampa, some 2,000 miles east of the Giants’ home in Scottsdale.
The haul Farhan Zaidi did come away with this offseason is looking to make its own impressions this spring. Although none of it was spent on Judge or Carlos Correa, the Giants did guarantee $174 million to six free agents this winter and, at an estimated $182.5 million (per Baseball Prospectus), are set to take into 2023 the highest payroll of Zaidi’s tenure.
They believe they have stabilized the middle of their lineup and their outfield defense with Mitch Haniger and Michael Conforto, bolstered their bullpen with Taylor Rogers and (eventually) Luke Jackson, and done their best to replace Rodón with Ross Stripling and Sean Manaea.
