Eyebrows were raised at Yankees spring training when Aaron Judge was spotted taking fly balls in center field. Now it appears the slugger may get some action patrolling the middle of the outfield when it counts.
The Yankees acknowledged Friday that Judge might move over from right field to center at times while Aaron Hicks recovers from an intercostal strain that landed him on the disabled list after the season opener. While Brett Gardner is set to be the primary center fielder during that time, manager Aaron Boone is wary of wearing out the veteran.
“We’re obviously in a situation of need right now, but we still have to protect (Gardner), especially with four days on the turf (in Toronto) and going back for a day-game when we get home," Boone said, via the New York Daily News. "We’ve got to think big picture on this as well.”
With that in mind, don't be surprised to see Judge make his MLB debut in center sometime in the coming days. All 170 of his appearances in the field to date have been in right, though he played center field 11 times in Triple-A between 2015 and 2016.
Judge took fly balls in center field during batting practice Friday and pronounced himself up to the challenge.
“I’ll be ready to go,” he said. “There’s more ground to cover but the reads are easier. You get true reads instead of those nasty top-spin liners right at you in the corners. I’ll be comfortable if they call on me to play center.”
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