Aaron Judge frustrated with Yankees' slow offseason

Star slugger eager to 'run it back' despite lack of major moves by team

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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New York Yankees star Aaron Judge admitted he found his team's slow offseason "brutal" as rivals made improvements and free agents remained unsigned. Judge said he was eager for the team to make significant moves, but the Yankees only made smaller additions over the winter.

Why it matters

As one of the Yankees' most important players, Judge's frustration with the team's offseason reflects growing concerns among the fanbase about the club's ability to keep up with improved rosters of rival teams in the competitive American League East division.

The details

Judge said he was "like, 'I see a lot of free agents out there,'" and found it "frustrating" to watch the Yankees only make minor moves while other teams bolstered their rosters. Despite the lack of major offseason additions, Judge expressed optimism about the team's chances and said he's eager to "run it back" in the 2026 season.

  • The comments were made by Judge on Monday, February 16, 2026.

The players

Aaron Judge

A star outfielder and one of the New York Yankees' most important players.

Cody Bellinger

A free agent who remained unsigned deep into the offseason, frustrating Judge and Yankees fans.

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What they’re saying

“It was brutal. I'm like, 'I see a lot of free agents out there,'”

— Aaron Judge (The Record)

What’s next

The Yankees will need to address Judge's concerns and make significant roster moves before the start of the 2026 season to keep their star player happy and the team competitive.

The takeaway

As one of the Yankees' most valuable players, Judge's frustration with the team's offseason highlights the pressure on the organization to be more aggressive in free agency and trades in order to field a championship-caliber roster around their star slugger.