New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge is leading from the front and apparently ready to solve the team’s left field problems.
Aaron Judge, the New York Yankees star slugger, earned a humongous nine-year contract worth $360 million this off-season. The contract was merely a reward for Judge’s record-breaking 2022 MLB season. The slugger hit his all-time high numbers, including the historic feat of hitting 62 home runs in a single MLB season.
Moreover, slugger Aaron Judge went on to receive numerous recognitions for his exceptional last season. He earned his first AL-MVP award in a tight voting contest. However, the biggest reward, according to Judge, is being given the captaincy honors by the New York Yankees franchise. The Yanks’ top brass appointed the slugger as the 16th captain of the organization a day after his contract announcement. Meanwhile, Aaron has already started to lead by example in the Yankees camp.
Aaron Judge Steps In To Resolve Yankees Misery, To Play Left Field This Week
The New York Yankees’ long-withstanding problem this season is the giant hole in the left field. During the off-season, the team’s regular left fielder, Andrew Benintendi, entered free agency and joined Chicago White Sox. Furthermore, the Yanks had multiple options to fill in Andrew’s spot in the free agent market, but they ran out of cash. The luxury tax regulation came into effect after the Bombers reached the threshold limit. Moreover, a trade deal involving the Pirates fell apart due to unreasonable demands.
The only option left with the Yankees is to resolve the issue internally. They called in multiple candidates to audition in the ongoing spring training. While Aaron Hicks remains the top contender, the Yankees want to exhaust all options. Meanwhile, seeing the team’s struggles, captain Aaron Judge has stepped to the rescue. Apparently, Judge chalked up a plan to move left field and end the team’s woes. Moreover, he has already started training for the same in practice sessions. Skipper Aaron Boone earlier confirmed that Aaron Judge would be playing left field this week as a part of a new strategy.
Judge Moving To Left Field Could Be A Major Gamble For The Yankees
While Aaron Judge himself volunteered for the change in his fielding position, the change could do more damage to the existing situation. Just to put it out there, the slugger hasn’t played left field in the major league. Moreover, there is a vast difference between college league and major league baseball. Hence, Aaron certainly cannot bank on his rookie league left-field experience.
Furthermore, Aaron Judge is the most crucial player in the New York Yankees lineup. His health and availability for the whole season are extremely important. Him moving from his usual spot could possibly send out the invitation to unwanted injuries as he is not used to playing in that position. The Yankees, in their right minds, cannot afford to risk Aaron Judge to end their left field woes. Hence, they must rethink the plan going forward into the tournament.
