In 2024, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone finds himself with an abundance of options in the outfield, a luxury not enjoyed during the team’s lackluster 82-80 season in the previous year. However, with significant reinforcements from the front office, Boone is optimistic about the upcoming MLB season. The Yankees’ outfield, in particular, holds promise, with Boone outlining his strategies for managing the depth of talent during an ESPN interview on March 5.
The outfield is stacked with notable names for the Yankees in 2024. The high-profile acquisition of Juan Soto in December 2023 added further strength to an already formidable lineup. Just a day earlier, the Yankees pulled off a rare trade with their rivals, the Red Sox, to secure Alex Verdugo.
Yet, the trio of Soto, Verdugo, and the returning Aaron Judge presents a unique challenge. All three players have excelled primarily in right field recently, leaving a gap in center field. As noted by Forbes’ Daniel Epstein, while the Yankees boast two of the world’s best hitters in their lineup, their outfield presents a puzzle with pieces that don’t seamlessly fit together.
Aaron Boone says he's leaning toward keeping it Soto in RF, Judge in CF and Verdugo in LF — even when there's a short LF, like in Houston or Boston. Adds that Stanton will be an option "periodically" in RF in Bronx or in shorter LFs in the league.
Boone on @ESPN right now.
— Brendan Kuty 🧟♂️ (@BrendanKutyNJ) March 5, 2024
In addition to these three main outfielders, the Yankees also have Giancarlo Stanton and Trent Grisham in their ranks. Stanton’s defensive abilities have waned, and injuries have limited his appearances, making him more suited to designated hitter duties. Grisham, a two-time Gold Glove winner, offers a defensive anchor in center field but struggles offensively.
"There's no question in my mind there was an added edge to how they prepared this winter, this spring, and I'm excited about where our group is…" – Aaron Boone on the @Yankees pic.twitter.com/LuEcLzoDSC
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) March 4, 2024
Boone indicated in his ESPN interview that he’s inclined to deploy Judge in center field, Soto in right, and Verdugo in left, while Stanton could occasionally fill in at right field in shorter left fields across the league.
As for the opening day lineup, Boone expressed his preference for DJ LeMahieu to lead off, but he also hinted at the possibility of one of the outfielders taking on that role. Regardless, with sluggers like Soto and Judge positioned behind the leadoff spot, the Yankees anticipate a potent offense.
Breaking: The New York Yankees have acquired superstar outfielder Juan Soto in a trade from the San Diego Padres, sources tell @JeffPassan. pic.twitter.com/oZhD94HBCE
— ESPN (@espn) December 7, 2023
The lineup projections provided by The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner and Brendan Kuty have Soto batting second in left field, Judge third in center field, Stanton fourth as the designated hitter, and Verdugo seventh in right field.