At 6-foot-7, Judge to tie MLB record for tallest center fielder

The New York Yankees will have a new face patrolling the middle of the outfield Saturday.

Aaron Judge will make his debut in center field at the major-league level. He'll be flanked by Giancarlo Stanton and rookie Billy McKinney, while Neil Walker will move into the DH spot.

At 6-foot-7, Judge will join Walt Bond as the tallest center fielders in MLB history, according to MLB.com.

Judge has appeared in 170 games defensively throughout his career, all in right field. He's played center field in 11 minor-league games, but started only three of those.

With Jacoby Ellsbury and Aaron Hicks on the disabled list, the Yankees used Brett Gardner in center during Friday's game. But manager Aaron Boone opted to sit Gardner against Blue Jays starter Marco Estrada due to his struggles against the soft-throwing right-hander and in an effort to get him off the turf.

"I don't want to run (Gardner) into the ground," Boone said before Friday's game. "We're in a situation of need right now, but we still have to look at it through that lens and have to protect him, especially starting with four days on the turf and going home for a day game (on Monday).

The reigning American League Rookie of the Year was a nominee for the Gold Glove award in right field last season.