MLB: Aaron Judge file: Yankees and Mets under investigation for collusion

At the request of the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA), MLB will investigate possible inappropriate conversations between New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner and New York Mets Steve Cohen. about free agent Aaron Judge, revealed The Athletic.

Major League Baseball will seize text messages, phone calls and emails from the two owners for the purposes of its investigation. The Major League Baseball Players Association says it takes very seriously cases of collusion between two teams seeking to lower the salary of one of its members.

Besides Aaron Judge, The Athletic pointed to a comment by Houston Astros owner Jim Crane who openly claimed Justin Verlander was aiming for Max Scherzer’s high three-year salary contract.

Note that it is forbidden for any Major League Baseball team to publicly disclose information on a player’s negotiation process.