Aaron Judge is closely monitoring the growing injury list for the New York Yankees this spring.
Giancarlo Stanton, the designated hitter and playoff hero, is still sidelined with tennis elbow in both arms. He recently returned to New York for personal matters, and it’s uncertain when he’ll be back with the team.
Yankees reliever Scott Effross exited Tuesday’s game against the Minnesota Twins with a hamstring injury, and pitching prospect Chase Hampton is set to miss the rest of the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
With all these injuries, the Yankees need to take extra precautions to keep Judge healthy, and a position change might be the key. The team should consider making Judge the full-time designated hitter while Stanton is out.
Judge and veteran first baseman Paul Goldschmidt are the most likely candidates for DH duties, with catcher Austin Wells and infielder DJ LeMahieu also potential options.
While this move isn’t a surefire way to keep Judge injury-free—anything from a hit to the hand to an awkward turn at second base could land him on the injured list—switching him to DH minimizes the risk of injury. Judge, known for his aggressive play in the outfield, often dives or makes close plays near the fence, which can increase his injury risk.
Aaron Judge
If Judge transitions to DH, what would the Yankees do in the outfield? Former NL MVP Cody Bellinger, the projected starting center fielder for the Yankees, played both center and right field for the Chicago Cubs last season. However, Bellinger typically manned center field from 2021 to 2023, so keeping him there makes sense.
Two-time Gold Glove winner Trent Grisham didn’t have a standout first season with the Yankees. Could moving Judge to DH open the door for top prospect Everson Pereira?
While there have been no credible reports linking the Yankees to a trade for an outfielder after Stanton’s injury, veteran New York Mets outfielder Starling Marte could be a good fit, considering the Mets’ depth in the outfield.
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