Could New York Yankees MVP right fielder Aaron Judge see some time at a new position this season?
As spring training gets underway, a video was captured Tuesday of the AL home run king taking grounders and fielding throws from first base, prompting speculation on social media.
Despite the video, there are a host of reasons why fans shouldn’t jump the gun and anoint Judge as the Yankees’ new starting first baseman.
New York already has a very capable four-time Gold Glove Award winner in Anthony Rizzo manning the position. Rizzo appeared at first base in 120 of his 130 games during the 2022 regular season and re-signed with the “Bronx Bombers” on a two-year deal (with a third-year option) in November.
The Yankees also have another four-time Gold Glove Award winner in DJ LeMahieu as an option at first base, as he played 35 games at the position in 2022.
With Judge having signed a massive nine-year contract extension over the winter that will take him through his age 39 season, there have been concerns regarding his ability to stay healthy and impactful into his late-30s. His 6-foot-7, 282-pound frame has only increased those concerns.
Although Judge has never played a big-league game at first base, he played the position (and also pitched) at Linden High School in the late 2000s. With the four-time All-Star already set to turn 31 in April, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Yankees manager Aaron Boone experiment with his superstar at the less demanding first base in the coming seasons.
