Yankees Raise Eyebrows With Spencer Jones Decision

The New York Yankees will take the field Tuesday night against the Colorado Rockies with a familiar face back in the middle of the order and a young outfielder sliding one spot down as a result.

Aaron Judge’s return from a lengthy absence is the headline, and it has forced a modest shuffle that still leaves Spencer Jones in a prominent role.

Judge has not appeared in a major-league game since May 31 after a stress fracture in his right rib, an injury that originated with a diving catch earlier in the spring and ultimately cost him 84 games.

He skipped a minor-league rehab assignment and will start in right field, batting third, in his first action in more than three months. The Yankees sit four games behind Tampa Bay in the American League East with 19 games remaining, so the captain’s presence is meant to give a sagging offense a jolt at a critical moment.

That insertion created a ripple. Jones, who had been hitting cleanup in Sunday’s series finale against San Diego, now occupies the fifth spot and will play center field, via Underdog MLB.

The 25-year-old Vanderbilt product is in his first full season in the majors after being recalled in late July. At 6-foot-7 and 240 pounds, he has shown both power and speed, compiling nine home runs, 31 RBIs and nine stolen bases while slashing .246/.320/.447 in 70 games.

Recent weeks have been encouraging; he homered in consecutive games against the Angels and has been on base consistently. Moving him one place lower is less a vote of no confidence than a practical adjustment to accommodate Judge.

Manager Aaron Boone still has the rookie batting in the heart of the order, a sign the club trusts the left-handed bat to produce in high-leverage spots.

The rest of the lineup reflects the same mix of veterans and emerging pieces.

Ben Rice will designated-hit and lead off, Cody Bellinger patrols left field in the two-hole, Luis García Jr. is at first base, Jazz Chisholm Jr. at second, George Lombard Jr. at shortstop, Ryan McMahon at third and Austin Wells behind the plate. Cam Schlittler, 12-6 with a 2.04 ERA, takes the mound against Colorado’s Gabriel Hughes.

The Rockies arrive with a 55-88 record, giving the Yankees a favorable matchup as they try to close the gap on the Rays and hold off Boston for the top wild-card spot.

Jones’s slight demotion is therefore more cosmetic than consequential. He remains a middle-of-the-order presence on a night when the Yankees’ most important player finally returns.

How quickly Judge shakes off rust after 100 days away will determine whether the lineup looks as formidable on the field as it does on paper.

For now, the club has chosen continuity over wholesale change, keeping a promising rookie in a position to keep contributing while the captain settles back in.