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The Yankees Are Changing Aaron Judge's Position For 2025

Originally posted on The Spun | By Matt Hladik | Last updated Dec 17, 2024 5:11 PM ET

Aaron Judge is on the move in 2025--to a different position in the New York Yankees' outfield.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Yankees completed a trade with the Chicago Cubs, adding outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger and $5 million in exchange for right-handed pitcher Cody Poteet. Bellinger has played extensively in center and right field in his career, as well as first base.

According to USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale, the Yankees told the 2019 National League MVP he'll be the team's starting center fielder, which would slide Judge back to his natural position of right field.

Judge was forced to play center field for much of the 2024 season, as Alex Verdugo and Juan Soto were best deployed in left and right field respectively. Given his age and size, Judge's defense in center field, which was solid when he played there regularly in 2022 and 2023, took a hit this year.

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 30: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees celebrates after hitting a home run during the first inning against the San Francisco Giants on Opening Day at Yankee Stadium on March 30, 2023, in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images)New York Yankees/Getty Images

Wherever Judge lines up in the field, the Yankees are hoping he continues his prodigious regular season hitting, which resulted in his second American League MVP Award in three years.

Additionally, the team would obviously love to see the six-time All-Star carry some of that production over to the postseason, where Judge has traditionally struggled and did so once again in 2024.

As for Bellinger, he's been linked to the Yankees for some time, in part because of how his skill set fits the team and also because his father Clay won two World Series with the franchise in 1999 and 2000.

The 29-year-old lefty-swinging Bellinger slashed .266/.325/.426 in 2024 with 18 home runs, 78 RBI and 72 runs scored. In 2023, Bellinger finished 10th in National League MVP voting and won a Silver Slugger award as he hit 26 home runs, drove in 97 runs and stole 20 bases while posting an OPS of .881.

Bellinger is the Yankees' third high-profile acquisition of the offseason after losing Soto to the New York Mets. The team also signed Max Fried to an eight-year, $218 million contract, a record for a left-handed pitcher, and traded for All-Star closer Devin Williams.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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