The New York Yankees are gearing up for the 2024 MLB season, which is scheduled to go on floors in March. Ahead of the opening days, weeks-long spring training will commence next month in Tampa. However, the question marks regarding the team’s hitting lineup featuring Aaron Judge and outfield position continue to bother fans.
This season, the Yankees acquired Juan Soto, Alex Verdugo, and Trent Grisham to bolster outfield depth. Moreover, Jasson Dominguez is slated to return in the latter half of the season. However, since Soto is a regular right fielder, captain Aaron Judge will likely have to sacrifice his favorite space.
Aaron Boone Confirms Aaron Judge’s Change In Outfield Positioning!
New York Yankees skipper Aaron Boone appeared on a podcast called ‘Foul Territory’ and addressed roster concerns. He revealed his plans to play Aaron Judge in center field for almost half of the next season. Boone clarified that the Judge’s move to the center would not aggravate the risk of injury. He cited the example of the 2022 season, wherein the captain played center fielder and stayed healthy throughout the 162-game stretch. However, interestingly, Boone proposed the idea of playing Judge in left field, a position he never played since freshman year. Apparently, the skipper conveyed his plans to Aaron Judge, and the latter seemed on board with the idea. Of course, workload issues with a guy of Judge’s physique will pop up at some point in the season. But Boone has a solution for that, too.
The New York Yankees skipper further added how he plans to DH Aaron Judge as and when the situation demands. By moving Judge to DH, Aaron Boone can attain the freedom to use Trent Grisham in left field. Grisham, who arrived in the Bronx via trade this off-season, is regarded as an excellent defense player in the outfield. Thus, Aaron Boone thinks the depth will only add to the flexibility overall. Moving guys in and out will avert the risk of excessive workload. Also, Boone mentioned Jasson Dominguez. He confirmed the return of the Martian as and when he remains available. Thus, for the 2024 season, Boone plans to experiment a lot with the outfield as well as the hitting lineup. Until he finds a combination that works the best, the skipper will continue to apply every permutation and combination.
Aaron Boone Drops Hint On Aaron Judge, Juan Soto’s Hitting Positions!
Besides the outfield, Yankees skipper Aaron Boone also shared hitting order ideas in the podcast. He plans on using Juan Soto at second and Aaron Judge at third in the hitting lineup on most days. Besides, DJ LeMahieu, Alex Verdugo, and Gleyber Torres remain his preferred leadoff-hitting options.
However, Aaron Boone clarified that his initial plans are subject to change as and when circumstances evolve. Injuries and current form, amongst many other factors, will play a huge role in final decision-making. But overall, Boone is happy with the roster at his helm. The Yankee skipper for sure feels his side is capable of winning a World Series championship in 2024.
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