Aaron Judge made his Juan Soto wishes clear in meeting with Hal Steinbrenner

Aaron Judge has made his feelings clear to Hal Steinbrenner: The Captain wants Juan Soto back in The Bronx.Judge, who won his second AL MVP Award this week, said during a conference call Friday that he met with Steinbrenner in Tampa shortly after the World Series and “discussed a lot of things.”That included the potential return of Soto, whose free agency has dominated the offseason so far and included a meeting with Steinbrenner and the front office, as well as Aaron Boone, in southern California.Judge said he had yet to speak with Soto since he hit free agency, preferring to leave him alone.“I think the best thing is to give those guys space,” Judge said of Soto.“I talked to him all season.

He knows how we feel about him.The most important thing is to let him do his thing… and come to the right decision for him and his family.”Of course, nothing Judge could say to Soto would mean more than the bottom line, as Soto made clear throughout his season with the Yankees and throughout the playoffs, repeating that no team would have an advantage when it came to signing him, as long as they made a good offer and gave him a chance to win.So for the Yankees to keep Soto in pinstripes, it will cost them… a lot.With the free-spending Mets and Dodgers and the dangerous Red Sox and Phillies, as well as wild cards like the Blue Jays all interested in Soto, he’ll certainly earn a contract worth more than the $360 million over nine years that Judge signed two offseasons ago.Asked Friday if he would be OK being surpassed by Soto if he returned to the Yankees, Judge laughed and said of a potential Soto contract, “Honestly, it ain’t my money.

I really don’t care.If we get the best players, I’m happy.

It’s never been something that’s on my mind, who gets paid the most.Whatever we can do to get the best players, I’ll take it.”Judge said he’s followed Giancarlo Stanton’s example.

Stanton was pleased when Bryce Harper surpassed him as having the m...