New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone dropped a bombshell during an interview with Talkin’ Yanks’ podcast this Tuesday afternoon, addressing the potential for changes to Aaron Judge and Juan Soto’s placement in the Yankees’ lineup. Navigating this decision won’t be easy, as Boone acknowledges the quality of players he has on his side. Despite their recent impactful performances spanning at least 10 days, since the series against the Guardians, some fans may have misconstrued the Yankees’ ambitions, but it’s premature to draw conclusions.
Yankees’ Judge and Soto: Contrasting Starts and potential lineup adjustment
The Yankees were anticipating strong starts from their superstar outfielders, Aaron Judge and Juan Soto. However, only half of the duo has lived up to expectations. While Soto continues to pose a threat to pitchers around the league, boasting an AL-leading .439 on-base percentage from the No. 2 spot in the order, Judge has uncharacteristically struggled from the No. 3 spot.
Aaron Judge’s numbers tell the story of his early-season woes: batting just .174 with three home runs and a .645 OPS, along with 31 strikeouts in 104 plate appearances and leading the American League with six GIDP. During a recent appearance on “Talkin’ Yanks,” Boone was questioned about potentially swapping Judge and Soto in the batting order to provide Judge with better pitches to hit and more viable protection behind him.
Boone expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of such a change, noting that opposing teams wouldn’t drastically alter their pitching strategy based solely on the lineup order. Despite Judge’s struggles, Boone remains unworried and doesn’t foresee significant changes resulting from a lineup swap.
Aaron Judge’s disappointing start to the season is evident in his statistics, with a hard-hit rate well below his career average and a strikeout percentage at its highest since the 2019 season. Although Judge’s preparation for the season was hindered by an abdominal injury during Spring Training, his struggles at the plate have persisted for nearly a month. However, the Yankees have been buoyed by Soto’s exceptional play, with MVP chants already echoing in the Bronx.
While it’s natural to give a player of Aaron Judge’s caliber the benefit of the doubt, his prolonged struggles may necessitate adjustments in the near future. Despite this, Boone reiterated his confidence in Judge’s ability to bounce back.
On the same day, Boone addressed his recent high-profile ejection, expressing satisfaction with MLB’s stance on the matter and indicating he doesn’t anticipate any fines. Boone’s ejection during Monday’s game against the Oakland Athletics, just five pitches in, stemmed from a warning issued by plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt regarding further complaints. Despite Boone’s protests, Wendelstedt swiftly ejected him, citing comments allegedly heard from a fan near the Yankees dugout. Despite the odd circumstances, Boone opted not to engage in further public debate after consulting with MLB senior VP of on-field operations, Michael Hill.
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
MLB wants to shut down Boone, but disciplinary action should be brought against Wendelstadt. He simple over reacted to a voice. bot Boone’s. He covered up by saying somwone towards the end of the dugout. Video shows only the fan gawking. Wendelstadt should issue a public apology to Boone, The Yankees Organization, and Yankee fans as a whole. That still looks bad on “continued” umpire integrity, MLBUA, and MLB for a cover up, or sweeping it under the rug. I have lost faith in the so called integrity of the game. Especially how the umpires and MLB are reacting!
MLB wants to shut down Boone, but disciplinary action should be brought against Wendelstadt. He simple over reacted to a voice. bot Boone’s. He covered up by saying somwone towards the end of the dugout. Video shows only the fan gawking. Wendelstadt should issue a public apology to Boone, The Yankees Organization, and Yankee fans as a whole. That still looks bad on “continued” umpire integrity, MLBUA, and MLB for a cover up, or sweeping it under the rug. I have lost faith in the so called integrity of the game. Especially how the umpires and MLB are reacting! This was only posted ONCE!
MLB wants to shut down Boone, but disciplinary action should be brought against Wendelstadt. He simple over reacted to a voice. bot Boone’s. He covered up by saying somwone towards the end of the dugout. Video shows only the fan gawking. Wendelstadt should issue a public apology to Boone, The Yankees Organization, and Yankee fans as a whole. That still looks bad on “continued” umpire integrity, MLBUA, and MLB for a cover up, or sweeping it under the rug.
Don’t ask for comments and then say it’s a duplicate. I only commented ONCE!