New York Yankees star Aaron Judge says he hasn't spoken to Juan Soto since his former teammate hit free agency following the Yankees' World Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"I haven't talked to him at all," Judge said on Friday, per SNY. "I think the best thing is to really give those guys space. I talked to him all season and he knows how we feel about him."

The Yankees are reportedly in competition with other teams including the Dodgers, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays to sign Soto this offseason.

Judge made it clear he would prefer to have Soto in the batting lineup ahead of him next season.

"Having the chance to have one hit in front of me, and I get to see a lot of pitches, he's going to be a tough at-bat in front of me. He's going to wear down the pitcher right there in the first inning, within the first 15 pitches or so," Judge said about batting behind Soto during the run to the World Series. "That was a big impact, was having a guy like that in front of you.

"If I could have eight Juan Sotos in the lineup with me, I would love that."

Judge said he met with Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner in Tampa after the end of the season in order to discuss free agency options including bringing Soto back to the Bronx.

Judge re-signed with the Yankees in December 2022 on a $360 million, nine-year contract. At the time the deal marked the third-largest in MLB history.

Winning the bidding war for Soto could require the Yankees going well over that amount, with the star hitter's next deal generally estimated to be somewhere in the range of $500 million over ten years.

Judge said on Friday that Soto potentially receiving more money from the Yankees would not bother him.

"It ain't my money, I really don't care, as long as we get the best players, we get the most that we can, I'm happy with whatever," Judge said. "That's never been something on my mind, about who gets paid the most. It's just, whatever we can do to get the best players, I'll take it. I think that's what it comes down to.

Judge named Giancarlo Stanton, who is playing on the 13-year, $325 million deal with the Miami Marlins in 2014, as an example as to how to manage teammates' rising salaries.

"Once he came here, he didn't care about being the highest-paid guy. He just wanted good players around him," Judge said. "I think you could ask everybody in the room, they kind of feel the same way."

The Mets, Yankees, Dodgers, Red Sox and Blue Jays have all met with Soto in free agency, and the Philadelphia Phillies are setting up a meeting, per The Athletic's Jim Bowden. Soto, who turned 26 in October and led the AL with 128 runs last year, could potentially meet with even more teams before making his final free agency decision.