Just two days after launching their season with a win and a leadoff home run from catcher Austin Wells, the New York Yankees decided to flip the script on Saturday.
With former Yankee Nestor Cortes on the mound for the Milwaukee Brewers, manager Aaron Boone decided to attack the matchup with a totally different look—and it’s one that raised some eyebrows.
Goldschmidt Leads Off in a Brand New Batting Order
Gone is Wells from the top of the order. Instead, the Yankees turned to Paul Goldschmidt, the 37-year-old first baseman who’s never batted leadoff in his career—until now.
Behind him, Cody Bellinger slides into the two-hole, followed by Aaron Judge, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and Anthony Volpe. Wells, fresh off his solo shot on Opening Day, moves down to the six spot. Pablo Reyes gets the start at third base, hitting seventh, followed by Jasson Dominguez at DH and Trent Grisham in center field.
Bellinger shifts over to left field with Dominguez vacating that role for the day.
Playing the Matchups, Not the Favorites
Boone’s approach might look overly creative at first glance, but there’s logic behind the shuffle. Cortes, a left-handed starter with a sweeping slider, is historically tough on fellow lefties. That made Austin Wells and Ben Rice—both left-handed hitters—less appealing in starting roles for this one.
Enter Pablo Reyes and Trent Grisham.
Reyes, a right-handed utility man coming off an impressive spring, brings a better split against left-handed pitching. Cabrera, despite being a switch-hitter, batted just .159 from the right side last year. The move to Reyes is less about flair and more about function.
As for Grisham, he’s a glove-first outfielder who can handle center field while Bellinger shifts to a corner—giving the Yankees a boost defensively without sacrificing much range.
Strategic Flexibility Could Be the Norm
The Yankees don’t seem interested in riding a static lineup this season. Instead, they appear willing to adjust game to game, pitcher to pitcher, and even inning to inning.
- Yankees 5, Diamondbacks 7: Good news and bad news from Grand Slammin defeat
- Yankees might actually cash in with new relief pitcher
- Yankees’ star prospect could hit another level with ‘torpedo’ bat
Don’t be surprised if Rice gets a look later in the game once the Brewers turn to a right-handed reliever. That flexibility might be the name of the game in 2025, especially with so many left-handed bats and an emphasis on matchup optimization.