TORONTO — The Yankees head into the Tampa Bay area this week with perhaps their biggest challenge ahead of them. Sure, they are coming in with the best record in baseball and a huge lead in the American League East. And just last week they swept the Rays back in the Bronx. Their pitchers have allowed the fewest runs in the majors and their hitters have hammered the most home runs.
But this week could define not only this season, but the franchise’s next decade.
Wednesday, before the team heads back to the Bronx to face the Astros, is the scheduled time for the arbitration on Aaron Judge’s 2022 salary. The process has never been described as a positive, relationship-building experience by players who went through it — just ask Dellin Betances. It’s a process that Judge, whose historic home run pace this season is not supposed to be taken into consideration, remembers from when the Yankees beat Betances and the hard feelings that grew in the clubhouse.
