In Yankee rotation
CLEARWATER — Aaron Judge deserved it.
Hal Steinbrenner expected Judge to be the starter in right field, and the 24-year-old took the job with a standout spring.
Judgement Day finally came — as the Yankees announced on Thursday that Judge will be an everyday player, ending any speculation that he might be sent to the minors despite his vast improvement at the plate.
The team likes Aaron Hicks a lot, but Judge won the competition in the end, cutting down on his strikeouts and hitting .344 with three homers.
"To be honest, nothing really changes," said a humble Judge, before Aroldis Chapman, Dellin Betances, Tyler Clippard, Adam Warren, Bryan Mitchell, Tom Layne, Chasen Shreve and Jonathan Holder.
Jordan Montgomery (Triple-A) and Chad Green (Double-A) will both be kept on turn in the minors to potentially pitch on April 16 when the Yankees need a fifth starter.
Ronald Torreyes will be the everyday shortstop in Didi Gregorius’ absence, while Pete Kozma will be the team’s utility infielder. Rob Refsynder was optioned to Triple-A Scranton. Gregorius will be out until sometime in May due to a right shoulder strain.
“Even though it’s at the expense of Didi who is obviously a key piece to this team, I’m glad that it’s me that got the eventually smiling as his interview ended. "Now, the real work starts. Now, I'm trying to keep it. It's great, but now I just have to go out there and work."
After being called up from Triple-A last season, Judge hit .179 with four homers and 42 strikeouts in 84 at-bats.
During the spring, he struck out 13 times in 61 at-bats. He also played strong defense as well.
Hicks, who can play all three outfield positions but struggled in a reserve role last season, hit .273 during the spring.
"My whole mindset was I wanted to be the starting right fielder," Hicks said. "Now, I have to figure out a routine to opportunity and I’m happy that my manager gave me this opportunity,” Torreyes said through a translator.
BAD AND GOOD
Several Yankees had terrific springs. But Chris Carter (.127 with 26 strikeouts in 55 at-bats), Brett Gardner (.211) and Chase Headley (.208) did not. “It’s a clean slate,” Girardi said. “Like I’ve said, it’s hard to predict with veterans what’s going to happen − what a good spring leads to or what a poor spring leads to. ” CC Sabathia was victimized by his defense in a minorleague outing in which he gave up eight runs (three earned) on nine hits in four innings. Sabathia is set to be the Yankees’ No. 2 starter. “I’m not worried about him,” Girardi said. make sure I'm better in the games I'm going to play."
The competition came down to the wire. "That was a very tough call, a very tough competition, but in the end we thought Judge won the competition, and he's our right fielder," Girardi said.
The manager plans to play the switch-hitting Hicks more than once a week, allowing him to occasionally fill in for veterans Brett Gardner and Jacoby Ellsbury so they can both get some rest.
According to Girardi, Judge has room if he struggles.
"He's our right fielder and we're going to run him out there," Girardi said. "And we've seen it a lot of times: guys have great spring trainings and then get off to slow starts. But it's not going to be a day-to-day basis, a week-to-week basis. He'll play."
Judge, Gary Sanchez and Greg Bird, who will comprise a third of the Yankees' young-looking lineup, have 444 career at-bats between them.
Said one AL scout of Judge: "There are going to be some growing pains. With that size, there are obviously holes in the swing. But he can do a lot of damage when he gets to the ball. He's a tough call. I like the power, but I just don't know if he'll be able to make enough contact. With that type of size, though, I'd give him the at-bats to find out."
The Yankees plan to. AP