Aaron Judge Playing Center Field Could Happen More Than Just Once

New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge played center field for the first time at Yankee Stadium. Due to injuries, Judge could play CF more than just once

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK — Late Tuesday night, Yankees manager Aaron Boone asked Aaron Judge to poke his head into his office.

With Aaron Hicks out for the season and Brett Gardner in need of an off day, Boone had been discussing an appearance in center field for Judge over the last week or so. When Boone presented Judge with an official proposition that night, the slugger was all for it.

"Let's do it," he told Boone.

The next evening, jogging out to center field to start the game against Tampa Bay, Judge made his second big-league start at the position. The only other time he played center field in a Yankees uniform was in Toronto on March 31, 2018, just the third game of Boone's tenure as New York's skipper. 

"Understanding we're in some unique circumstances right now where it's needed, Aaron's excited to step up to the challenge," Boone said before first pitch Wednesday. "He's a great outfielder. I mean, he's a good athlete. He's fundamentally incredibly sound as a defender."

For the first time in his career, Aaron Judge jogs out to center field at Yankee Stadium.

It’s the second time Judge has made a start in CF in the big leagues. pic.twitter.com/RrEmiDI9Li

— Max Goodman (@MaxTGoodman) June 2, 2021

Asked about his teammate playing a new position, Yankees ace Gerrit Cole shared the same confidence in Judge as his manager.

"I'm probably just as excited as you to see how it transpires," Cole said Wednesday afternoon. "He's obviously about as talented as it comes on the baseball field. So there's no job or no task that's too big for Aaron. I probably assume he'll come through with this with the Superman cape that he tends to wear every time he plays."

Over Judge's six frames in center field that night—before Gardner was brought in off the bench, moving Judge back to his traditional spot in right field—the slugger was rarely tested in the field. Judge made the one play hit in his direction, shading to his left to snag a can of corn with ease. 

New York's outfield has been a fluid situation for weeks now that Hicks is out with a left wrist injury. Gardner has been reliable on defense, proving the longest-tenured player on this roster still has the ability to track down balls in the gaps, but he's struggled at the plate. Before going 2-for-3 on Thursday, stroking his first home run of the season, Gardner was hitting .045 (1-for-22) over his last nine games.

Giancarlo Stanton's recent stint on the injured list opened the door for Judge to get off his feet in the designated hitter spot far more often. Wi th Stanton expected to be back to playing everyday as soon as this weekend's series against Boston, Judge will be back to playing in the outfield each night. 

That leaves only two other spots. As Gardner figures out his swing, Miguel Andújar and Clint Frazier have both been contributing at a high level lately with an increase in playing time. 

On the days where Boone wants to pencil both Andújar and Frazier in the outfield, Judge would be the best and most experienced defender of the bunch. That's why he was placed in center while flanked by those two developing defenders on Wednesday.

Even if Gardner is the closest thing the Yankees have to a starting center fielder at the moment, the 37-year-old can't play every game.

"We'll see how our situation evolves, see how it goes," Boone said when asked about Judge playing in center again. "We'll see what our roster looks like continuing to move forward. That's always evolving and circumstances change all the time."

While he didn't really factor in on defense in center field on Wednesday, Judge did provide a spark with his teammates. As roll call began in the top of the first, Judge went with Gardner's signature flex rather than his traditional glove tap, motioning toward the crowd in the right-field bleachers. 

Aaron Judge did Brett Gardner's signature flex in center field to start off roll call ... then Clint Frazier followed with Judge's glove tap from RF.

— Max Goodman (@MaxTGoodman) June 2, 2021

"I joked before the game, I don't think that there's one fan or one person in this organization that drew up the outfield being Miggy in left, Judge in center and me in right," Frazier said Thursday. "So it's fun, we're obviously trying some new things out there and it didn't seem to affect us."

For a club that's been scuffling of late, it's the little things that can bring life to a team that's underperformed through the first third of the season. A trade could be on the horizon too due to these extemporaneous circumstances, but until then, it sounds like Judge filling in out in center field is something we'll see more than just once.

"I'm sure that it's not gonna be the last time we see Judge out there in center," Frazier said.

MORE:

• Clint Frazier Is Playing a Huge Role Against Yankees' Rival
• Connor Cannon Completes Yankees’ Tauchman-Peralta Trade With Giants
• Clint Frazier's Night to Remember Was Years in the Making

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