New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge just won his second straight American League MVP award and third overall, cementing himself as one of the best players of his generation (as if he weren’t there already).
Judge slashed .331/.457/.688 this past season, leading the majors in all three of those numbers while adding 53 home runs and 114 RBI over 679 plate appearances. Additionally, the 33-year-old was rather impressive in right field, posting a plus-3 DRS and plus-3 OAA.
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While Judge’s defense may not come as much of a surprise to those who have watched him throughout his career, the seven-time All-Star was absolutely showing signs of decline in the outfield in 2023 and 2024, so his bounceback in 2025 was certainly encouraging.
But is it possible that the Yankees could be weighing the idea of moving the 6-foot-7, 282-pound behemoth to first base to preserve his body long term?
Chris Kirschner of The Athletic discussed the possibility in a recent mailbag, and he doesn’t seem to think first base is in Judge’s near future.
“There’s no reason to start a transition plan for Judge to play first base,” Kirschner wrote. “He’s still an elite defender in right field; Judge finished in the top five in outs above average last season among all right fielders. Unless he required offseason elbow surgery, which he didn’t, then it makes no sense to move him.”
Kirschner did note that that a position switch is a possibility down the line, but that he believes Judge has not quite reached that stage just yet.
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Remember: Judge took reps at first base in spring training back in 2023, which had many wondering if New York was already planning on moving him out of right field. But we really haven’t heard anything about Judge playing first base since.
Perhaps Judge simply wasn’t comfortable at the position. Or maybe the Yanks were only experimenting with Judge as an emergency option.
Whatever the case may be, there has pretty much been radio silence regarding the possibility of Judge moving to the infield, although it’s a conversation that will probably be had within the next couple of years.
The Linden, Ca. native turns 34 in April and does have an injury history, so you have to imagine that at some point, Judge will ultimately move out of right field. Whether that means serving as a full-time designated hitter once Giancarlo Stanton departs or becoming a first baseman remains to be seen.
For now, though, let’s just enjoy watching Judge being serenaded by the Bleacher Creatures in right field.