Projecting the ideal Yankees lineup after Aaron Judge returns to outfield

Since Aaron Judge went down at the end of July with a flexor strain in his right elbow, there have been conflicting reports as to when and if he can return to his customary position roaming right field. There has been a lingering sentiment that the New York Yankees star might have his throwing ability limited for the rest of the 2025 campaign, though Aaron Boone's latest comments express optimism that Judge will, at some unknown point in the future, return to right field before the end of the season.

Taking Boone's word for it is a tough ask. After all, it was just a few weeks ago that the Yankee manager and the Yankee captain were at odds over the latter's ability to throw the baseball, making Boone's about-face all the more curious.

With all that said, if and when the two-time AL MVP returns to right field, the Yankees will have a golden opportunity to build a lineup that brings both immense firepower and, in some cases, exceptional defense.

This is the Yankees' ideal lineup versus right-handed pitching once Aaron Judge returns to the outfield

With a slew of lefty bats that have the ability to punish righties, the Yankees could put everything in its right place once Aaron Judge returns to right field.

Here, the Yankees' impressive array of left-handed hitters is on full display. Trent Grisham has been on an absolute tear as of late, but he's done work all season against righties with a .911 OPS. He fits nicely in the lead-off spot thanks to a 14.5% walk rate against right-handed pitching on the season.

Judge should be placed in the two-hole from here on out. That's where the best hitter on a team should bat in order to maximize plate appearances, and while Judge has split time nearly evenly between the second and third spots in the order (61 games to 65), he's hit .339 when batting second versus a still very good .310 when hitting third.

Cody Bellinger's balanced approach fits nicely in the third spot, whileGiancarlo Stanton deserves to hit cleanup thanks to his insane run, which in many ways has bested his 2017 season when he took home NL MVP honors. Ben Rice has been formidable all season and, by expected numbers, he's been one of the absolute best hitters in baseball.

Rounding out the proceedings, Chisholm Jr. brings pop and defensive prowess to second, and Ryan McMahon's defense at the hot corner is critical to the Yankees' success. One might like to see Jose Caballero over Anthony Volpe, but Aaron Boone's fierce defense of the enigmatic former top prospect makes that seem like a pipe dream. Finally, Wells gets the nod at catcher primarily because Paul Goldschmidt has just a .605 OPS versus righties this season.

This is the Yankees' ideal lineup against lefties once Aaron Judge returns to the outfield

Though the Yankees aren't completely neutralized by southpaws, the left-handed heavy nature of the roster makes constructing an optimal lineup against them a bit trickier.

Thankfully, the club does have a few counters and some ways to lean into other strengths to put the pieces together in a way that can drive success.

There are a few significant changes here. First, Paul Goldschmidt slides in at first base and into the leadoff spot. The soon-to-be 38-year-old has put up MVP-caliber numbers against lefties this season, slashing .370/.444/.646 this season.

Bellinger remains in the three-hole thanks in large part to his reverse splits. On the season, he's hitting .368/.408/.624 while running a minuscule 9.5% strikeout rate against southpaws.

Amed Rosario takes over at third for McMahon here, as he routinely punishes lefties. The Yankees acquired him for this reason, and while they take a bit of a hit defensively in this alignment, his .825 OPS plays well here.

Ben Rice slides behind the plate. While he's not as potent against left-handed pitching, he is still slugging .478 against southpaws, and proves to be a better option than Austin Wells. Meanwhile, as much as folks want to hate on Anthony Volpe, his .784 OPS against left-handers makes his presence in the lineup warranted in this instance.

Rounding things out, Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s primary asset is his glove in this scenario, though his .316 on-base percentage against lefties is decent enough for a bottom-of-the-order bat, even if his slugging drops from an impactful .549 against righties to an impotent .317 the other way (but don't tell Framber Valdez and Steven Okert that!).

The true failing here is Jasson Dominguez, who is a switch-hitter in name only. This would be a prime opportunity to get the 22-year-old some at-bats, but his .569 OPS while batting right-handed pales in comparison to Grisham's still subpar .662 mark. Austin Slater's return from the IL will change this, as the platooon specialist shines with an .814 OPS against lefties, even if the Yankees haven't yet had the opportunity to benefit from his prowess since his deadline acquisition. Slater can slot into left field, moving Bellinger to center for a more optimal defensive alignment as well.

On paper, there's a lot to like about both of these lineups, but as Yankee fans know full well, the games aren't played on paper, and it will be up to the players to execute and live up to their lofty expectations.