TAMPA, Fla. — As New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge stood before his locker in the visitors clubhouse at Kauffman Stadium on the final day of the 2023 season, he made it clear that there was no one he would rather have as his manager than Aaron Boone.

NORTH PORT, Fla. — Yankees bullpen hopeful Enyel De Los Santos was on the mound pitching to Astros infielder prospect Zach Dezenzo on Saturday in Tampa. Ben Rice was behind the plate catching and a female ump who spent last season in Triple-A was calling ball and strikes, West Milford, N.J.‘s Jen Pawol.

The New York Yankees deployed right fielder Aaron Judge as their third hitter most of the time last season. Anthony Volpe in the first half, and Gleyber Torres for most of the second were the leadoff hitters,