New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge is set to reunite with a painful memory this weekend at Dodger Stadium, where he’ll face not only the Los Angeles Dodgers but also the infamous right-field wall that derailed his 2023 season. The last time Judge played a regular-season game at Dodger Stadium in June 2023, the two-time AL MVP crashed into the wall, tearing a ligament in his big toe. The injury sidelined him for 42 games, contributing to the Yankees’ disappointing 82-win season—their worst since 2016.
This weekend marks the Yankees’ first return to Dodger Stadium since last fall’s World Series, where Judge played center field because Juan Soto, now with the crosstown Mets, occupied right field. With Soto gone, Judge has returned to right field for the first two months of the 2025 season, sparking concern among fans still haunted by his 2023 injury. Some have urged manager Aaron Boone to move Judge to center field or designate hitter (DH) to protect their star player, but Boone has dismissed those pleas with a blunt seven-word declaration: “No, he’s going to play right field.”
Boone, speaking on Talkin’ Yanks on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, acknowledged that the Dodgers have added more padding to the right-field wall since Judge’s injury. Still, his insistence on keeping Judge in right field has sent ripples of panic through the Yankees fanbase, who fear another injury could jeopardize their championship hopes. Judge, the odds-on favorite for the 2025 AL MVP, has been dominant this season, batting .398 with 18 home runs, 47 RBI, 14 doubles, and a staggering 1.248 OPS through Wednesday, May 28, 2025. His 4.3 bWAR puts him on pace for a fourth career 50-home run season, making his health critical to the team’s success.
While Judge has played at least 18 games in center field each of the past four seasons, Boone’s comments suggest no immediate plans to shift him there or to DH during the upcoming three-game series. Judge has split time between right field and DH in 2025, but Boone appears determined to keep his best player on the field, despite the risks.
As the Yankees prepare to face the Dodgers, all eyes will be on Judge—not just for his MVP-caliber performance but also for whether he can avoid another costly encounter with Dodger Stadium’s right-field wall.