With the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres Juan Soto trade talks heating up, fans are likely wondering how the team's outfield defense could look in 2024. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that the team is open to Aaron Judge being the everyday centerfielder in 2024, per Brendan Kuty of The Athletic.

The Yankees already acquired another corner outfielder from the Boston Red Sox in Alex Verdugo. Giancarlo Stanton will be the Yankees DH in 2024. So acquiring Soto would force New York to place either Soto, Verdugo, or Judge in centerfield.

And based on Boone's comments, it appears Judge will be patrolling the position.

Aaron Judge: Yankees centerfielder?

Judge has played the position in the past. At 31-years old, he is still capable of running balls down in the outfield and making impressive plays. Judge might not win a Gold Glove in center, but he should be able to play good enough defense to help the Yankees.

In the end, New York is focused on the lineup. Adding Juan Soto to the offense would obviously provide a spark. Meanwhile, Verdugo is a contact-first hitter, something New York desperately needed.

The Yankees are hoping Giancarlo Stanton can rebound after back-to-back underwhelming and injury plagued seasons. Of course, the lineup is built around Aaron Judge.

Judge is one of the best players in the sport. He is an elite hitter who can carry a team. Judge suffered an injury in June of 2023, and the Yankees completely fell apart amid his absence. The team relies on its captain without question.

However, adding more star power around him is a good idea. Relying on one player in baseball is difficult since it's a team-based game.

Nevertheless, the Yankees will still lean on Aaron Judge in 2024 regardless of which position he plays.