Yankees fans scoff at Brian Cashman's suggestion that Aaron Judge could play CF in 2024: "Huge mistake"
After a record-breaking 2022, Aaron Judge showed his team's faithful an unfamiliar fallibility in 2023 that nobody expected. Now, a top priority for Yankees fans is ensuring that the 2022 AL MVP can stay healthy for the duration of the 2024 season.
A regular right-fielder, recent moves by the Yankees have resulted in a surplus of outfield position players. GM Brian Cashman has recently been on something of an outfield acquisition spree, receiving names like Juan Soto, Alex Verdugo, and Trent Grisham, all of whom are outfield players.
As such, more than a few fans are wondering where Aaron Judge fits into the mix. Judge hit 62 home runs in 2022 to set a single-season record. However, he missed significant time in 2023 on account of an injury sustained on a highlight-reel catch in right-field against the Dodgers last June.
"Brian Cashman said that Aaron Judge would be the Yankees every day center fielder if the season began today" - FOX Sports: MLB
In response to the warranted confusion being espoused by New York Yankees fans, Cashman recently said that Judge could be shifted to center field. But with his torn ligament still fresh in the minds of many, several fans took to social media to opine that this was not the time for positional experimentation.
Aaron Judge is not a stranger to center field. However, of his nearly 700 career games, only 115 have seen him play in the center field role. By comparison, Juan Soto, who was acquired in a blockbuster trade with the San Diego Padres on December 6, has not made a single appearance in center field since joining MLB in 2018.
While the bats that Cashman has acquired will undoubtedly benefit the Yankees in an offensive capacity, manager Aaron Boone has his work cutout for him as far as the outfield is concerned. Whether or not Judge will follow Cashman's prescription and become the starting center fielder in 2024 remains to be seen.
Aaron Judge's bat is ultimately for valuable than his glove
Although Judge is a strong fielder in his own right, his unmatched power is the real reason why he is considered one of the best players in all of baseball. Last year, the Yankees were ahead of only the Oakland Athletics when it came to AL batting average.
For this reason, Cashman's trade spree makes sense. All fans can do now is hope that the influx of new outfielders will not cause a logistical headache for the duration of next season.