Goldschmidt returns as Yankees' leadoff hitter

Paul Goldschmidt is back in the Yankees lineup after a short absence due to back pain. He played in a new spot on Saturday, batting first against the Phillies. Manager Aaron Boone decided to have Goldschmidt lead off in this game. This is a different role for him, as he has never batted in that position during his time in the major leagues. Austin Wells has been performing well as the Yankees' usual leadoff hitter this spring. Goldschmidt has been adaptable with his batting position. He stated he is ready to help the team in any way needed. He joked about Wells's impressive batting average, which is why he hadn't batted leadoff until now. The experienced Goldschmidt, who was the MVP in 2022, had a tough season last year. However, he still has a solid on-base percentage of .381 in his career. Boone values this skill for the leadoff role. Goldschmidt mainly batted in the second, third, or fourth spots over his 14-year career. He reflected on leading off in other contexts before and looks forward to trying it out in the major leagues.