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Aaron Boone Sends 7-Word Message on Potential Aaron Judge Position Change

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jake Elman | Last updated May 28, 2025 8:23 AM ET

New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge will reunite with an old friend this weekend—and by friend, we mean one of the most hated figures in recent Yankees memory.

When Judge and the Yankees last played at Dodger Stadium during the regular season, the two-time AL MVP ran into the right field wall and tore a ligament in his big toe. Judge subsequently missed 42 games after the June 2023 incident, and the Yankees finished with their fewest wins (82) since 2016.

Judge and the Yankees return to Dodger Stadium for the first time since last fall's World Series. At the time, though, Judge manned center field because the Yankees still had perennial MVP candidate Juan Soto in right field.

Of course, Soto is now with the crosstown Mets, and Judge has spent the season's first two months back in right field. Some fans have already called for Yankees manager Aaron Boone to put Judge anywhere but right field, but Boone is sticking with the status quo.

"No, he's going to play right field," Boone told "Talkin' Yanks" on Tuesday.

Boone noted that the Dodgers added more padding to the right-field wall.

Judge has exclusively played right field or designated hitter this year. He's played at least 18 games in center each of the last four seasons.

Of course, Judge could serve as the DH at some point during the three-game series. However, it certainly sounds like Boone has no plans to keep his best player off the field.

Judge entered Wednesday as the AL MVP odds-on favorite, hitting .398 with 18 home runs, 47 RBI, 14 doubles, and an incredible 1.248 OPS. He's already posted 4.3 bWAR, and he's on pace for his fourth career 50-home run season.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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