Aaron Judge stunned the baseball world when he rejected the New York Yankees' seven-year, $213.5 million contract offer. Many doubted the calculated risk that Judge, who has had a history of injuries in his career, was taking by essentially betting on himself. It turns out, they weren't the only ones.

Aaron Judge himself was doubting his decision to turn down the deal at one point. During an appearance on MLB Network ahead of his free agency bid, the Yankees star slugger got honest on rejecting the contract offer ahead of Opening Day, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.

“You’re sitting in the outfield kicking yourself, like, ‘Man, maybe I should have taken that deal.'” Teammates & family told him he made right call.”

Judge said that “doubt” crept into his mind after he declined the Yankees' contract offer. The star slugger admitted to “kicking himself” and thinking that perhaps he should have taken the deal.

So, what turned around Aaron Judge's thinking? The Yankees star said that family and friends “told him he made the right call.

Boy did he ever. Judge went on to have a historic season, breaking Yankees legend Roger Maris' American League record for the most home runs in a single season.

The Judge clubbed a career-high 62 home runs while posting career-bests in batting average, RBIs, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.

There's a fat payday coming Aaron Judge's way. But that never would have come to fruition had he accepted the Yankees' deal on that fateful day.

What a bet by Judge.