Aaron Judge To Make His First Start In Center Field As New York Takes On Toronto
There is always a first time for everything.
For 6"7 282 pound Aaron Judge who normally plays right field he will start in center field for the first time on Saturday at Rogers Centre in the third game of this four -game series between New York and Toronto.
The 6-foot-7 Judge and Walt Bond are now tied as the tallest center fielders in big league history. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-judge-makes-first-start-in-center-field/c-270170240
"It'll be an easy adjustment," Judge said after the Yankees' 4-2 victory over the Blue Jays on Friday. "There's easier reads in center than in the corners. When you have big guys like [Giancarlo] Stanton hitting you top-spin liners, you know what they're going to do in center field. There's true reads. If they call me and send me to center, I'll be ready to go." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-judge-makes-first-start-in-center-field/c-270170240
Aaron Hicks' strained right intercostal muscle created a vacancy in center field that Brett Gardner filled on Friday, but Boone is wary of playing Gardner four straight days during this series against the Blue Jays. With Gard
"I just don't want to run [Gardner] into the ground, don't want to wear him out," Boone said. "We're in a situation of need right now, but we still have to look at it through that lens and have to protect him, especially starting with four days on the turf and going home for a day game [on Monday]. We've got to think big picture on this, so I would say [Judge] is a possibility." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-judge-makes-first-start-in-center-field/c-270170240
Judge has not played a position other than right field since making his big league debut in August 2016, but he was drafted as a center fielder out of Fresno State University and manned center in 11 Minor League games, doing so as recently as 2016 for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-judge-makes-first-start-in-center-field/c-270170240
Judge took fly balls in left field this spring, including one Minor League game in which he played five innings at the position. He said during camp that he hopes to play at least one game in center field. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-judge-makes-first-start-in-center-field/c-270170240
"In college I played center and left," Judge said. "It wasn't until pro ball that I started playing right. I'm familiar with it all. I'm primarily a center fielder, but I'll stay in right or left, it doesn't matter." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-judge-makes-first-start-in-center-field/c-270170240
Billy McKinney made his Major League debut in left field on Friday, and recorded his first hit in his first at-bat; Boone said that the Yankees will likely use Stanton in the corner outfield spots during the final two games of the Toronto series. Ronald Torreyes is an emergency option, and Tyler Wade will also resume taking fly balls in the outfield."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-judge-makes-first-start-in-center-field/c-270170240
"We made a strategic decision not to get Wade reps in the outfield this spring because in fairness, he was taking a shot at winning a starting job on the infield side," Cashman said. "We didn't want to compromise that effort. That's why we didn't do the outfield reps for him, and our outfield was very deep. Now it's not." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-judge-makes-first-start-in-center-field/c-270170240
Love for gloves
With the Yankees looking to protect a four-run lead in the sixth inning on Thursday, Boone substituted Tyler Austin in favor of Wade, with Neil Walker shifting to first base and Wade taking over at second. It is the best available defensive combination on the right side of the infield, Boone believes."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-judge-makes-first-start-in-center-field/c-270170240
"With a three-man bench, there's not going to be a lot of moves, but we do feel like there's probably one move we can have a game," Boone said. "I thought Walker and Wade make a real good complement to each other, skill-set wise. Yesterday's move is something you could see when we have that personnel." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-judge-makes-first-start-in-center-field/c-270170240
Catch those Z's
When Hicks' MRI revealed a Grade 1 strain after Thursday's game, Cashman placed a late-night call to senior director of player development Kevin Reese, requesting that McKinney travel to Toronto as quickly as possible. A quick check of the flight schedule revealed that McKinney would be unable to leave Florida until Friday afternoon. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-judge-makes-first-start-in-center-field/c-270170240
"We didn't wake him up last night to tell him in the middle of the night," Cashman said. "He should have had a good night's sleep without knowing that he's going to be starting in left today. That was a nice call by Kevin Reese." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-judge-makes-first-start-in-center-field/c-270170240
Injury updates
While Jacoby Ellsbury (strained right oblique) continues to gather at-bats in Minor League games at the Yankees' complex in Tampa, Fla., there is no clear timetable for Clint Frazier (concussion), who has yet to play in games. Cashman said that Frazier is "making progress" and has hit on the field."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-judge-makes-first-start-in-center-field/c-270170240
This is 40
The Yankees will commemorate the 40th anniversary of the 1978 World Series championship prior to Monday's Yankee Stadium home opener, with teammates Bucky Dent and Mickey Rivers tapped to throw ceremonial first pitches prior to the 1:05 p.m. ET contest against the Rays. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-judge-makes-first-start-in-center-field/c-270170240
All Yankee Stadium gates will open to guests with valid tickets beginning at 10 a.m. Pregame ceremonies are set to begin at approximately 12:30 p.m. with the introduction of both teams on the baselines. Guests are strongly encouraged to arrive early to avoid lines. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-judge-makes-first-start-in-center-field/c-270170240
In addition, Tony Award-winning actress Kelli O'Hara -- currently starring in Cosi Fan Tutte at The Metropolitan Opera -- will perform the national anthem. During the seventh-inning stretch, Patti Murin from Broadway's Frozen will perform "God Bless America." "according tohttps://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-judge-makes-first-start-in-center-field/c-270170240