Klapisch: Aaron Judge to first base? Maybe someday

NEW YORK – Another day, another forgettable performance for Chris Carter, the human automatic out. There are several reasons the Bombers have staggered through the last three weeks, but a lack of production at first is among the chief saboteurs. Joe Girardi shrugged during the postgame press conference on Tuesday and said, “it is what it is.”

Less than an hour later, Carter was designated for assignment. The Yankees fired him again – the second time in a week.

What’s next? The Bombers’ season-long audition will continue with the call-up of left-handed hitting Ji-Man Choi from Class AAA. The scouting report is thin; at 26, he was largely unimpressive with the Angels in 2016, his first year in the majors. It’s safe to say Choi isn’t a long-term solution.

KLAPISCH:The HR Derby we're waiting for: Judge vs Stanton

NOTEBOOK:Judge does damage; Mitchell, German optioned

KLAPISCH:Why the Yankees are still such a mystery

But Greg Bird may be headed for exploratory surgery to find out why his ankle still hurts. And Tyler Austin is on the DL for at least 4-6 weeks with a grade-2 hamstring strain. A trade for Lucas Duda is a possibility, but only if Jeff Wilpon and Sandy Alderson can stomach the idea of helping the Yankees, and even then it would take a favorable haul of prospects. Don’t hold your breath.

What if there was an attainable power-hitting alternative – a home-run threat and a .300-plus hitter to boot? The Yankees couldn’t sign up fast enough, right? Ironically, that option is available to them now, suiting up in their clubhouse not far from Carter’s empty locker.

Here’s the revolutionary proposal: move Aaron Judge to first base, and give Clint Frazier full-time responsibilities in the outfield until Aaron Hicks returns and then let those two sort it out. The key, of course, is pulling Judge from right field, a position he plays superbly and with great athleticism, and re-positioning him at first base, where he played in high school.

The Yankees shake their heads and say no, they’re not considering uprooting Judge. “He’s going pretty well right now,” Girardi said. Yet, the manager was curious enough to ask Judge why he shifted to the outfield at Fresno State despite hitting .500 as a first baseman in high school.

The reason was simple, Judge said. A better player was already there.

“We had a guy (Joran Ribero) who’d led the nation in home runs the year before, so my coach said, “You either learn another position or you’re going to sit,' ”  Judge recalled. “He said, “you played wide receiver (in high school) so you can learn to run ‘em down in the outfield.'"

Judge’s first baseman’s glove was retired that very day and he’s not particularly eager to re-learn the position, even with the Yankees’ desperately searching for an upgrade.

“I was playing first base with kids who were six feet, 140 pounds up there swinging,” Judge said. “I didn't have guys like (Justin) Smoak hitting grounders.”

The reasons for leaving Judge in the outfield are sound enough. He is, after all, leading the major leagues in HRs, adding another blast in the Yankees’ otherwise lackluster 4-1 loss to the Blue Jays. But the Bombers would be wise to eventually consider the move.

Judge’s size makes him a prime candidate, and not just because of his height and wingspan – an infielder’s dream target from across the diamond. No, Judge’s mass becomes an issue every time he goes hard after a fly ball. He toppled headfirst into the seats in foul territory in Fenway in April, and has semi-crashed a handful of times into the right field wall at the Stadium.

Judge has emerged without a scratch – so far. But it would be in the Bombers’ best interests to protect the kid from his speed and strength. True to his Can Do nature, however, Judge says he’s not afraid of future injury.

“I feel like I’d end up getting hurt if I played scared,” he said. Such is the ethos of a 25-year-old rookie who is currently indestructible. But give it time. Judge might appreciate less wear and tear when he gets closer to 30. And he certainly wouldn’t be the first over-sized outfielder to move to first base.

The legendary Frank Howard, who was nearly as large as Judge at 6-7, 255 pounds, started transitioning in his age-31 season with the Washington Senators. Howard lasted for 16 years before retiring in 1973, finishing with 382 career home runs.

KLAPISCH:All eyes on Clint Frazier

YANKEES:At the halfway mark, Yankees see a route toward a turnaround

NOTEBOOK:Judge takes a seat

Judge’s ceiling could be even higher. With 28 homers, he’s just one HR shy of tying Jose Abreu for the second-most home runs by a rookie before the All-Star break. Mark McGwire holds the mark with 33. And Judge is already a lock to break Joe DiMaggio’s record for HRs by a Yankees rookie – 29, set in 1939.

The kid is as unstoppable as a Cyborg. Even on an afternoon when he struck out three times, Judge left the ballpark with a .329 average. No wonder the Yankees won’t entertain the idea of a position switch. They figure someone will eventually pass the audition at first base, even if they lack Judge’s credentials.

When GM Brian Cashman says, “we haven’t considered (moving Judge)” it means the matter isn’t open for discussion. At least not yet.