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Jorge Castillo
NEW YORK — The Yankees are not considering having Aaron Judge play first base when he returns from the injured list, a source told ESPN, with the two-time MVP to be slotted at designated hitter until he’s given the green light to throw from the outfield.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone’s plan for Judge, who was placed on the injured list Sunday with a right flexor strain, is based on the expectation that he will return after the minimum 10-day absence.
The hope is Judge resumes throwing in 10 to 14 days and works his way back to being available in the outfield.
Judge, 33, played first base in high school and has worked out at first base during spring training in recent years. Playing the position would be easier on his arm — he said Saturday that he “couldn’t throw past 60 feet.” But Judge has never played the position as a professional, and the Yankees aren’t going to ask their superstar to make the difficult transition midseason, though it could be something that is considered in the future.
With Judge slated to return as the DH, Boone said Giancarlo Stanton is scheduled to begin working out in the outfield this week to become an option there. Stanton hasn’t played the outfield since 2023, when he started 31 games in right field and two in left field.
Boone said Stanton’s role as the Yankees’ everyday DH impacted the team’s decision to place Judge on the injured list to focus on healing his forearm strain with the hopes of him returning to the outfield over having him limited to DH.
“There’s the feeling that if he just DH’d now, that he probably would not compromise his UCL,” Boone said. “Obviously, throwing would. That said, there is a gripping component to it and it’s probably, obviously, not like the defensive side, but probably somewhat affecting him offensively, too.
“And then there’s the [Giancarlo] component, too. So I think, when you add it all up, this makes the most sense to give this time to calm down a little bit, hopefully heal and then hopefully put us in a better position long term on it.”
Stanton began the season on the injured list with tendon pain in both of his elbows (a condition called epicondylitis), and didn’t make his season debut until June 16. The 35-year-old slugger has said he’ll have to manage the pain this season after electing to not undergo surgery. Boone, however, said he doesn’t currently see it as an issue that would prevent Stanton from playing the outfield.
Stanton has been one of the Yankees’ best hitters since returning, batting .277 with seven home runs and an .890 OPS in 28 games.
“I mean, not right now, no,” Boone said when asked if he’s concerned about Stanton’s elbows playing the outfield. “We’ll see as we go. He’ll start working out there this week a little bit. Just to be an option if and when Aaron gets back and however long he has to DH until he gets to the outfield. So, if there’s things that come up, then we’ll adjust. But I’m not anticipating that.”
With Judge on the injured list, the Yankees’ primary outfield configuration will have Jasson Dominguez in left field, Trent Grisham in center and Cody Bellinger taking over for Judge in right.
Boone said Amed Rosario, a utility man acquired from the Washington Nationals on Saturday, will play in the corner outfield spots in addition to third base and second base.
With Rosario’s strong production against left-handed pitching this season — he’s hitting .299 with an .816 OPS — the Yankees could use him against lefties at third base to spell the left-handed-hitting Ryan McMahon, the Yankees’ other recent acquisition, and in the outfield over Dominguez, a switch-hitter with a .575 OPS in 96 plate appearances batting right-handed against left-handed pitchers.