This is what the Yankees' 2024 lineup looks like

With less than three weeks until pitchers and catchers report to Tampa, Florida, the Yankees are starting to show some clues about what their lineup could look like in 2024, especially around Aaron Judge.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he plans to use Judge third in the offensive order, batting after Juan Jose Soto and playing center field most of the time.

“I think about it all the time,” Boone admitted during the Fall Territory podcast. “Right now, I might see Juan hitting second and Judge hitting third… I think you start with the idea of ​​Judge and Soto hitting back-to-back about 150 times this year.”

Boone said a leadoff hitter has not yet been determined, though he mentioned DJ LeMahieu, Gleyber Torres and Alex Verdugo among the possibilities.

But the strategist seems determined to be Judge behind Soto in the order, considering the Dominican is coming off of leading the Majors with 132 walks for the Padres in 2023. Soto's .410 on-base percentage was third-best in the Majors, Behind only the Venezuelan. Ronald Acuña Jr. (.416) and Shohei Ohtani (.412).

“First, you start with the pillars,” Boone said. “I see Aaron and Soto hitting one after the other, one out at second [bate] The other is like the third. I'm not sure yet. “It may depend on who is first in line to decide who is fourth.”

“I think one of the most exciting things about the potential of our squad this year is the balance we'll have in attack, with four or five left-footed players. “You can switch things up.”

Soto recently said he's open to any job in the order Boone puts him in, and that he's confident the Yankees know where he fits best.

“Wherever they need me, I have to be ready,” Soto said. “At any position in the pecking order, the position they want me to defend. I have to be ready for them. I'm open to anything. “We'll definitely talk about that when I get to Tampa for training.”

Defensively, Judge hopes to be the starting quarterback on Opening Day, with Verdugo and Soto at the corners. Trent Gresham, considered the club's fourth baseman, has won two Gold Gloves and can often find himself defending a pitch late in games.

Verdugo is a better defender at cornerback, so he will likely spend most of his time in left field, especially at Yankee Stadium. However, with the Yankees visiting the Astros at Minute Maid Park for Opening Day, Soto could emerge as the starting left fielder, with Verdugo patrolling a more spacious right field.

Judge was selected in the amateur draft as a midfielder, and he said that at that position he has the “best vision on the field.” He played 120 major league games at the position, including 112 starts.

During his American League MVP season in 2022, Judge played more center field (78) than right field (73), although he only held that position for 18 games in 2023.

Boone noted that center field will be Judge's primary position this year, at least until Jason Dominguez returns from Tommy John surgery sometime during the summer.

“I plan to spend a lot of time in center field,” Boone said. “He's getting ready for it now. The only thing is that when I used him in center field, I tended to put him as a designated hitter a lot of times. If he plays most days at center, especially with Trent Gresham on the roster now, who is an elite defender that adds even more.” Of balance – he's obviously going to bide his time there. You can use Judge as a DH sometimes.”

“I've even talked to Judge about playing left field some days when he wants Grisham to be there, and he's open to doing that.”