"He might get his wish, finally" - Yankees manager Aaron Boone hints Aaron Judge could bat in his desired spot in the lineup
Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees will be looking to bounce back from a dreadful 2023 campaign that saw the team miss the postseason altogether. The team has made a number of roster moves and changes to help the club best compete this upcoming season.
One of those changes might involve Aaron Judge himself. According to the New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone, the former American League MVP has been requesting to bat third in the team's potent lineup. This is something that Boone has recently hinted could come to fruition this season.
"Aaron Boone says that Aaron Judge has been badgering him about hitting third in the lineup: "He might get his wish, finally" - @snyyankees
"He might get his wish, finally," Aaron Boone told reporters. The team has revamped its roster, and having the team's captain batting third in the lineup may be the team's best option to maximize their offense. Spring Training is yet to kick off, however, it's likely that fans will see Judge geared up as the third batter in the lineup to get a feel for the team.
This offseason, the New York Yankees rocked the MLB landscape by pulling off one of the biggest moves of the winter. The Bronx Bombers sent Michael King, Jhony Brito, Randy Vasquez, Drew Thorpe, and Kyle Higashioka to the San Diego Padres in exchange for Juan Soto and Trent Grisham.
It remains to be seen how Aaron Boone will approach the team's lineup this season, however, it seems likely that Juan Soto will find himself batting second, with Judge potentially batting third.
Aaron Judge potentially batting third is not the only question around the Yankees lineup
It seems that having the New York Yankees' captain batting third would be in the best interest of both parties. Aaron Judge's world-class home run power, as well as his batting skills at the plate make him an obvious candidate for the third position in the lineup.
That being said, this is not the only decision that Aaron Boone will need to make this season in regard to the batting lineup. The lead-off spot for the Yankees remains a question heading into Spring Training. Boone previously mentioned that DJ LeMahieu would be his preferred lead-off batter, however did not rule out the potential of Alex Verdugo taking the lead spot.
"Aaron Boone wants LeMahieu to be the leadoff hitter in front of Soto/Judge in part because he looks good at this time of year. Now, where have I heard that before?" - @Joelsherman1