The New York Yankees have a big decision to make this offseason on star outfielder Aaron Judge and his contract extension. The Yankees can opt to extend Judge, who is the face of the franchise and a fan favorite, or they can forego the contract extension and trade the 30-year-old, who has proven to be an injury-prone major leaguer. Trading Judge would be hard for any Yankees fan to stomach, though it's also equally hard to justify a $200 million contract extension for The Judge, a number New York may need to hit if they want to bring the talented slugger back to the Bronx. That said, here are three reasons why the Yankees must offer Aaron Judge a contract extension after the MLB lockout.

3 Reasons Yankees Must Extend Aaron Judge 

3. Aaron Judge is a fan favorite 

Admittedly, this is a poor reason to give Aaron Judge millions of dollars in a contract extension. But hear me out. Yankees fans just watched the crosstown rival New York Mets spend big to bring in some stars while the Yankees seemingly stood by and watched. New York is hungry for a title, but the Mets might be closer to one than their Bronx counterparts. If the Yankees turned around and, instead of offering Judge a contract extension, opted to trade him, it would be seen as a rebuilding move by fans. That would cause an uproar. Judge is clearly the most popular Yankees player right now- and he also just so happens to be perhaps the best overall player on the team. Making offseason moves based on the fans' reactions is an unwise move, though the Yankees need to consider the Judge contract extension from both a business and an emotional perspective.

2. Aaron Judge is a leader 

Aaron Judge is the closest thing the Yankees have had to a captain since legend Derek Jeter retired. The Yankees have been rumored to be considering such a title for The Judge, who spoke about such an honor recently. Judge not only leads the Yankees by example with his effort, but he isn't afraid to call someone out if they're not giving their all like he is. Winning teams need that. Plus, the Yankees have often been criticized for their lack of experienced leadership, something critics believe is holding them back from a championship. Judge may not have a World Series ring, but that kind of leadership is what can propel a team to a title. The Yankees need to ensure Judge remains their leader with a contract extension, no matter the cost.

1. Aaron Judge just had his best season since 2017

Aaron Judge burst onto the scene with an incredible 2017 campaign where he hit 52 homers and announced his presence to the MLB. Since that point, the giant slugger has struggled to stay on the field. However, 2021 was by far his best campaign since the 2017 year. Judge made strides as a contact hitter, as he set a new career high with a .287 batting average while posting the lowest strikeout rate of his career, per Statcast. Judge also belted 39 homers, the most he's hit since 2017. Judge tied for 14th in the MLB in Wins Above Replacement, proving his value to the Yankees. He's also a fine defender, a component of his game that is often overlooked. Most importantly, Judge was on the field for 148 games, the most since 2017. The Yankees should reward him for such a season with a contract extension.