Stanton in RF, Judge in LF? Yankees say it’s ‘on the table’
TAMPA, Fla. — The Yankees consider that extra innings within the outfield would assist Giancarlo Stanton play to his potential this season. Aaron Judge has a suggestion on the best way to make it occur.
“I did mention it to them about, ‘If we need to get Big G in right field at Yankee Stadium, put me in left,’” Judge stated. “I don’t mind it. I don’t mind switching around so we can have me, [center fielder Harrison Bader] and Big G out there. We’ll get some reps, hopefully, in Spring Training and get comfortable out there.”
Yankees supervisor Aaron Boone stated there isn’t any set plan to start taking part in Judge in left subject, although Boone acknowledged that the idea is “on the table.” Like Boone, Stanton believes he would profit from semi-regular responsibility within the outfield.
“I think I have more of a flow when I’m an outfielder,” Stanton stated. “Being an outfielder, you’re more engaged in the game, whereas [as the] DH, you’re inside a lot of the time staying warm and hitting, kind of watching the game from the TV.”
Stanton performed proper subject throughout his greatest season in 2017 with the Marlins, when he paced the Majors with 59 homers and 132 RBIs whereas profitable the National League’s Most Valuable Player Award. He has primarily served as a delegated hitter since then, together with 65 begins at DH final season, in opposition to 38 within the outfield (34 in proper subject and 4 in left).
“It’ll continue to be similar as last year,” Stanton stated. “I hit a road bump with the [left Achilles] injury there [in July], but you’ve got to build up to a similar game plan and see what we can accomplish, putting us in the best scenario to win each night — wherever that is in the lineup.”
Said Judge: “I know he wants to be a good outfielder. He’s good out there.”
Boone has stated that he would like to not play Stanton within the extra spacious left subject at Yankee Stadium, although having Stanton patrol smaller left fields like Boston’s Fenway Park and Houston’s Minute Maid Park can be a consideration. Out of necessity, Stanton made two begins in left throughout final yr’s American League Championship Series.
“I’m open to things like that, especially in the home ballpark,” Boone stated. “So we’ll see. It’s something that I would say I’m at least considering, and we’ll just see how that goes in letting that play out and getting guys reps in different spots. So no decision on that yet, but it is something that’s on my board.”
The Yankees appeared to enter the spring with a left-field competitors between switch-hitters Aaron Hicks and Oswaldo Cabrera, with common supervisor Brian Cashman saying that he suspected Hicks would finally win the beginning position.
But Judge’s suggestion might shake up the combo; extra begins within the outfield may spell time within the DH position for Josh Donaldson, for instance, which may assist alleviate a crowded infield combine. Last yr’s All-Star Game MVP, Stanton slumped within the second half, ending the season with a .211/.294/.462 slash line whereas hitting 31 homers with 78 RBIs in 110 video games.
“I don’t know if 59 [homers] is in there, but I know an All-Star, middle-of-the-order wrecking ball is in there if he’s healthy,” Boone stated. “The biggest thing is, as much as we can keep him posting all of the time, he’s capable of putting up massive numbers. That’s still absolutely in there. It’s just a matter of getting him to post 140 times or whatever it may be.”
Stanton has performed in 290 of 546 attainable regular-season video games because the starting of the 2019 season.
“I am of the belief that him playing the outfield, I think it’s good for his game, but I also think it’s good for his health,” Boone stated. “I think it’s good that, when he’s healthy, he’s not just a DH. I feel like if you’re going to squat or bench press or run a marathon, you don’t just sit over there and not do it. You’ve got to work on those things.”
Judge made 78 appearances in heart subject and 73 in proper subject final season, however he has by no means appeared in left subject as an enormous leaguer. He suited up there for seven video games with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2016, and his final common innings on the place got here throughout his freshman season at Fresno State University.
“The only way you can really test things out is throwing yourself out there,” Judge stated. “Hopefully I’ll get a couple of games out there.”
