Isiah Kiner-Falefa's athleticism earns him more time in centerfield for Yankees

On the days Aaron Judge doesn’t play center, such as Tuesday night when the outfielder was the designated hitter in the Yankees’ lineup, expect Isiah Kiner-Falefa to continue to get reps there.

Kiner-Falefa, who handled the three balls hit his way Sunday afternoon when he made his big-league debut at the position, was again in center Tuesday against the Phillies.

“His athleticism stands out, there’s a free and easy way how he moves out there. He looks real comfortable,” Aaron Boone said before the game of Kiner-Falefa. “His first step, which is a real strength of his as a shortstop, also appears to be the case in the outfield as well. So I think his athleticism, with (that) first step, should serve him well out there.”

As for Hicks, who has been frustrated with his role dating back to last season, Boone had said Sunday he expected the outfielder to be in the lineup the next couple of games. Hicks started in left Monday and was in left Tuesday, but the veteran, whom the Yankees have actively been trying to trade since last winter, isn’t likely to be getting consistent playing time any time soon.  

“I just feel like Oswaldo’s kind of earned it,” Boone said on Opening Day when the Yankees chose to start rookie Oswaldo Cabrera to start in left instead of Hicks. “Obviously, what he was able to do for us last year and then he came in and had a really good spring. As did Aaron [Hicks]. I’ve really liked what I’ve seen from Hicks, especially the last couple of weeks of spring training, where I feel like the at-bats, the edge, everything has been there. So he’s going to play a huge role. This is just Opening Day, but I just felt like Oswaldo is a guy who has earned that right to be in there.”

Clock it

Which of the new rules instituted for this season — most of which are designed to create more action in the game, as well as speeding it up — has Boone enjoyed the most?

“I think the [pitch] clock,” Boone said. “I think guys have adjusted even quicker than I maybe anticipated, and I think that will get more and more seamless to where it’s second nature for everyone. At what point in the season I don’t know. And then the results of that that I think are going to be really good for our product and for players and player health. You add up the time off their feet [because of shorter games] . . . you keep knocking off 20, 25, 30 minutes 162 times, that’s a lot of time that hopefully serves the players well, not only during the season but over the course of a guy’s career.”