Getty Yankees slugger Aaron Judge
It is certainly an unorthodox way to use a slugger who has twice led all of baseball in home runs, who has averaged 50 homers per 162 games in his career. But Yankees star Aaron Judge does have some experience as a leadoff batter in his career, and with the ongoing foot injury to outfielder D.J. LeMahieu, the team’s presumed No. 1-spot hitter, the possibility of Judge reprising that role on Opening Day next week has gotten more likely.
In fact, The Athletic put out its projected 2024 Yankees roster, and Judge is firmly listed at the top of the lineup. The site does list infielders Gleyber Torres and Anthony Volpe as potential leadoff men if Judge is not the man for the job.
“LeMahieu was also the Yankees’ projected leadoff man. Judge should take his place on Opening Day. He’s the Yankees’ best hitter, a lefty will be starting and Judge has hit .352 with a 1.177 OPS in 36 career leadoff appearances. Volpe and Torres each could also be leadoff candidates,” wrote Brendan Kuty and Chris Kirschner on the site.
Aaron Judge Wants to Bat Third
Now, putting Judge in the leadoff spot would not be entirely kosher with him. He batted there briefly in 2022, when he closed out the season—as he was chasing the A.L. all-time home run record of 62—and started the playoffs as the first hitter in the lineup. But after two postseason games, Judge was dropped back down to the No. 2 spot. He has led off in 36 games in his career, and 34 of them were in 2022.
Last season, he was primarily the No. 2 hitter, where he started 102 out of 104 games. For his career, 2,370 of Judge’s 3,619 plate appearances have come as a No. 2 hitter.
Manager Aaron Boone noted last month that Judge usually is pushing to bat third, a traditional spot for a player with his combination of hitting skill and power. But the Yankees like him at No. 2—or at the top for as long as LeMahieu is out.
Judge lobbied for Alex Verdugo to take leadoff duties.
“Adding someone like Verdugo, who’s been a great leadoff hitter for the Red Sox for so long, having him in the mix where you can get DJ a day off and you can mix him up there at the leadoff spot,” Judge said, per MLB.com. “Then you can maybe slide me into the two-hole, Soto three, but I’ve been telling Boonie since 2021 that I want to hit third.”
Yankees Will Be Careful With DJ LeMahieu
Alas, it is not likely happening. A 1-2-3 of LeMahieu, Judge and Juan Soto is probably how things shape up to start for the Yankees. But the LeMahieu injury, though tests were negative and it is being labeled a “bone bruise” on the right foot is of some concern.
LeMahieu struggled throughout 2022 with an injury to his right foot, a fractured bone that he opted not to have surgically repaired. He reported to camp feeling 100% without surgery.
LeMahieu might well be ready before Opening Day, but remember, he is 35 years old and under strict instructions from Boone to not attempt to play injured. He could be out into April, then.
“I’m just taking it one day [at a time] and going,” LeMahieu said per the New York Post. “Baseball-wise, I don’t think it’s going to take me much to be ready. [Boone] has told me about five times to be smart. So the last thing I want to do is something stupid and go backwards. That’s been made very clear by him to me.”