Boone: I'd consider batting Judge leadoff

With more than three weeks to go until Opening Day, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone is still "flirting" with various iterations of his lineup, and the newly hired 44-year-old said he's even considered slotting Aaron Judge - the reigning American League Rookie of the Year - into the leadoff spot.

"I wouldn't necessarily say it's likely, but something like that I would consider," Boone told MLB.com's Dick Scanlon on Tuesday. "I've thought about it."

In his brief major-league career, Judge - a 6-foot-7, 282-pound behemoth - has been penciled into every lineup spot except leadoff. Last year, he put up a gaudy 1.049 OPS and set a new rookie record for homers (52) while hitting primarily second or third in the batting order. Still, if his new manager wants him leading off in 2018, that's fine with Judge.

"They haven't brought it up yet, but if they did, I'd just roll with it," Judge said.

Frankly, he added, it doesn't really matter how Boone decides to line them up in 2018. With Giancarlo Stanton in tow, and highly touted prospects like Gleyber Torres and Miguel Andujar poised to make significant contributions, the revamped Yankees - who led the majors in homers (241) last year and finished second in park-adjusted offense (108 wRC+) - are going to mash, regardless.

"You can shuffle this lineup up and put 'em anywhere and it's going be a good lineup," Judge said. "For me, I don't really care who's in front of me or behind me. Last year I was lucky enough for the majority of the year to have (Brett Gardner) hitting in front of me, and he was on base a lot. So that was always nice."

In all likelihood, Gardner will assume his customary place atop the Yankees' lineup again this year, with Judge hitting second and either Stanton or Greg Bird, a left-handed hitter, behind him. But that could always change, Boone stressed.

"I'm not obsessed with it, but it's something that I'm constantly flirting with," said Boone. "Every now and then I start daydreaming a little bit about what makes the most sense, even like how to set it up down in the order."