Yankees May Shift Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton After Aaron Hicks' Rib Injury

Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge are known for their offense, but the New York Yankees may need them to display some defensive versatility in the coming days.

According to Coley Harvey of ESPN.com, the Bronx Bombers put center fielder Aaron Hicks on the 10-day disabled list Friday because of a right intercostal muscle strain, meaning Judge may be needed in center with Stanton potentially playing left.

"Stanton in left field is a possibility, and right field," manager Aaron Boone said, per Harvey. "I think we might see him in both places the next two days."

The moves would be notable because both sluggers have played right field for the majority of their time in the major leagues.

While playing Brett Gardner in center field would seem to be a natural fix to the issue for the Yankees, Boone stressed he doesn't want to put too much on the 34-year-old veteran's plate this early in the season.

"As I've told [Gardner], as I think I've told you guys, especially early, I don't want to run him into the ground. I don't want to wear him out," Boone said. "We're obviously in a situation of need right now. But we still have to look at it through that lens. I've got to protect him."

This should be a short-term concern for New York, as Harvey noted Jacoby Ellsbury is eligible to return from the disabled list (oblique) next Thursday against the Baltimore Orioles. What's more, Hicks could return a week from Sunday, and the team called Billy McKinney up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for depth purposes.

According to FanGraphs, Stanton has played 8,259 of his 8,260 career outfield innings in right field with the other coming in center field. Judge has played all 1,463.2 of his career outfield innings in right, per FanGraphs, underscoring the drastic shift it would be for either to play another position.

As long as they provide offense, though, New York will surely find a way to tread water until it is fully healthy again. Stanton wasted little time doing just that with two home runs in the season-opening win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday.