Anthony Rizzo is the New York Yankees first baseman. So why did Aaron Judge play some first base at the Yankees' player development complex earlier this winter?

“Somebody had to go over there,” Judge said, via Brendan Kuty of The Athletic.

Judge took ground balls at first base last spring as well. Given his size, Judge would make sense as a first baseman. Judge said he's willing to do whatever is best for the Yankees, so he'd be open to filling in at first base if necessary. He still plans to primarily play in the outfield, though, via Kuty as well.

“I plan to be an outfielder for as long as I can, for as long as my contract lasts,” Judge said.

Judge can play anywhere in the outfield. He's going to see time in center field in 2024 since the Yankees acquired corner outfielders Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo during the offseason.

The move received some pushback, but it is something manager Aaron Boone hinted could come to fruition before the Yankees acquired Juan Soto from the San Diego Padres.

Aaron Judge is a team-first player

Some players are not willing to switch positions. Judge is open to doing whatever is best for his team. This kind of mentality is crucial for a leader, as other players will likely adopt a similar mindset.

So will Judge play first base in 2024? It doesn't appear that he will make a permanent move to the position anytime soon, if ever. He seems to have the ability to play first, though, so the Yankees could move him to the position in an emergency scenario.

It's also surely comforting for New York to know that Judge could potentially move to first base later in his career. It is a less-demanding position than the outfield and could help him avoid injury down the road.

For now, however, Judge is planning to remain in the outfield for as long as possible.