On Wednesday afternoon at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, the Yankees experimented with new things in their 4-0 loss against the Cardinals. Aaron Judge took to the left field so that Giancarlo Stanton got a chance in the right field and this would free up the DH spot for one of the club’s extra infielders and make the Yankees lineup longer.
During Judge’s 1-for-2 afternoon, he got only one ball to field. It was a bloop single that couldn’t be caught. The Yankees’ new team captain played in left field for the first time since 2016 when he was with the Triple-A RailRiders.
Yankees’ No. 99 will get another chance to play left field Thursday against the Red Sox. If Aaron Boone wants Stanton to be successful in the outfield, he needs to repeat this new setup more often.
“Best case scenario, we’re talking about 40-50-60 games of Stanton in the outfield,” Boone spoke to YES Network on Wednesday. “If we can go a full season where we avoid IL stints … I’d like to get him out there 40-50-60 times.”
“I think he’s capable of that. I think it serves him well physically when he’s doing that and I think he likes that from a game standpoint to of being involved in the game some too.”
Judge, who holds the AL record for most home runs in a single season, volunteered earlier in the spring to move from his usual spot in right field so that another power hitter could play there.
“I did mention it to them about, ‘If we need to get Big G in right field at Yankee Stadium, put me in left,’” Judge said on February 21. “I don’t mind it. I don’t mind switching around so we can have me, [center fielder Harrison Bader], and Big G out there. We’ll get some reps, hopefully, in spring training and get comfortable out there.”
According to Judge, the Yankees manager had told him that they needed to find a way to play Stanton in the Yankees outfield more often because that would help his offensive performance. Harrison Bader is now the Yankees’ starting center fielder, but the situation in left field is less clear. So, Judge offered to take on more responsibility.
“He was talking about left field and trying to figure out ways to get ‘G’ out in right, and I said, ‘Well, just put me in out there,’” the Yankees captain said. “‘If you want to give JD [Josh Donaldson] a DH day or DJ [LeMahieu] a DH day, I can play left as I played it in college. Let me take a crack at it.’
Judge played in the left field during his freshman year at Fresno State University. He did it seven times for Triple-A RailRiders in 2016. Those games weren’t very memorable.
Yankees ace Cole ready
Gerrit Cole will start for the Yankees on Opening Day for the fourth straight year. Based on how he pitched on Wednesday, he seems to be ready for the big day. The 32-year-old Yankees pitcher was great against the Cardinals. In 3.1 scoreless innings, he struck out seven batters and threw 57 pitches. The right-hander was going 97 mph and hit 99 mph on the radar gun.
Cole got ten outs against St. Louis, and seven of them were strikeouts. Before giving the ball to Yankees reliever Greg Weissert, he only gave up two hits and no runs.
The 32-year-old righty pitcher let three runners get on base, but none of them scored. Brendan Donovan got on base with a single to start the game. Cole then threw a 98 mph fastball past Dylan Carlson for his first strikeout and then got the next two outs.
Cole scalped two St. Louis batters in the second. Next, he struck out three more, two of whom were looking. The Yankees ace struck out Juan Yepez to complete his day after surrendering a single to Jordan Walker to start the fourth. Weissert took out the runner and Cole had an excellent game.
The Yankee ace tossed 40 of his 57 pitches for strikes without walking a hitter. Cole’s fastball, in particular, shone, as he struck out nine batters with it. Two more Cardinals struck out on the slider.
“Just attacking the strike zone [is what I’m most pleased with],” Cole said after the game. “Obviously seeing some of the hard work pay off in between starts. There were a couple of good cutters and I thought the slider improved as the game went on.”
Boone made an informal announcement that Cole will start the 2023 season on March 30 against the San Francisco Giants at Yankee Stadium.
Cole has 11 strikeouts in 6.1 innings pitched in two spring training outings, allowing no runs. With 21 Yankees spring training games remaining until Opening Day, he’ll get some more starts.
Cabrera took to center field
He was at center field on Wednesday.
On Saturday afternoon, Oswaldo Cabrera informed the YES Network that the position he most wanted to play was the center field. Throughout his professional career, he has never played there.
On Wednesday, Boone gave Cabrera his opportunity, bringing him in in the top of the sixth inning, and he followed it up with a fantastic diving grab in the top of the eighth.
In 2022, the 24-year-old played all over the field — at right field, left, at shortstop, and all three bases. The switch-hitter is living up to his name as a “super-utility man.”
The Yankees will play the Red Sox in Tampa on Thursday.
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