Aaron Judge‘s future with the Yankees may be in doubt after the two sides couldn’t come to an agreement on the contract before the start of the 2022 season, but that doesn’t mean he has to leave New York.

Peeps from the internet suggested Mets owner Steve Cohen, the richest owner in baseball, could make a run at the 30-year-old right fielder–both because of Cohen’s deep pockets and his propensity to chase big names since his ownership started (Francisco Lindor, Max Scherzer, etc.). There’s also the angle that Cohen has spent money like George Steinbrenner used to–something Steinbrenner’s son Hal has reluctantly done over the last half-decade or so.

A new report from the New York Post‘s Jon Heyman, though, says that Steve Cohen believes the Yankees made Judge a “very fair” offer. That leads one to believe Cohen wouldn’t go far beyond the eight years and $230 million the Yankees offered Judge just before the season started. (That offer included this season, his final year of arbitration.)

Just based on the average annual value, Judge clearly wants more than the $28.75 million per year the Yankees offered. That’s a lot for anyone, let alone an outfielder who’d be in his late 30s by the end of any long-term deal.

Heyman also reports that Cohen “wouldn’t do that to the Yankees,” with “that” being take their star during free agency. There has been a general amicableness among the Mets and Yankees organizations recently, with the two teams trading major leaguers (Joely Rodriguez for Miguel Castro) this year for the first time since 2004.

Cohen may also recognize that the team’s primary rivals are within their division, with the Yankees rivalry stemming–especially in recent years–from location and the fact they play each other every year during the regular season. The teams are an even 22-22 against each other since 2014, and only the Mets have made a World Series appearance since then.

Rivalry or not, Cohen should go after Judge if his final contract number is more in line with the AAV the Yankees offered. If it’s well above $30 million per year over half-a-dozen years, it’d make more sense to stay away.

His decision to go after Judge–or any other future free agent coming from the Yankees or any other team–shouldn’t have anything to do with how pleasant the Mets and Yankees have generally been. It’s all about staying consistent with team process, which occasionally has shown to include paying top dollar for guys Cohen really wants. The Mets may have a hole in the outfield next season if Brandon Nimmo walks in free agency. We’ll find out then if Cohen really wants Aaron Judge.