Aaron Judge Could Return to Action Soon with the Yankees
Aaron Judge’s return to the New York Yankees lineup could be imminent. The team captain, who has been sidelined due to a strain in his right elbow flexor, could be available as early as Tuesday, the date he is eligible to come off the 10-day injured list. Judge participated in batting practice against minor league pitchers for the Yankees at the team’s complex in Tampa for the second consecutive day on Monday, before traveling to Texas. He was seen in the dugout during the first game of a three-game series.The star player hasn’t played since July 25th due to the elbow injury. An MRI revealed no acute damage to the ulnar collateral ligament, and he received a platelet-rich injection on July 27th, at which point he was placed on the injured list retroactive to the previous day. Despite his absence, his batting average of .342 was still the best in the majors before Monday’s games. In addition, he ranked fourth with 37 home runs and fifth with 85 RBIs. If Judge returns during the series in Texas, Boone indicated that he will be the designated hitter. In addition, the outfielder could make pitches, which would help determine when he could return to the outfield.I don’t want to say definitively because I haven’t seen it yet, but I think that’s the plan.
Aaron Boone, Manager
Giancarlo Stanton has been the Yankees’ starting designated hitter in the 32 games he has played this season, including the opening game against the Rangers. Stanton missed the first 70 games of the season due to inflammation in the tendons of both elbows, and Boone mentioned that he would not play in the outfield in Texas if Judge is the designated hitter during the series.I hope Judgie is doing well and launches (on Tuesday) or the next day, and we’ll start to get a sense of the timeline for that and then we’ll see what happens when we get back home.
Aaron Boone, Manager
The first sign of elbow pain from Judge occurred on July 22 in Toronto, after a strong throw to home after a single by George Springer to right field. An inning later, Judge grimaced after catching a ball in right field and throwing to second base.
The Yankees arrived in Texas after being swept in a three-game series in Miami. This relegated them to third place in the American League East Division, behind Toronto and Boston, with 50 games remaining in the regular season, including Monday night’s game. The team returns home after the series in Texas. Boone expressed that Judge’s return will be positive for the team. Yes, it’s Aaron Judge. We know what he means for our lineup and for the guys in the locker room. So we’re certainly excited for him to return and, hopefully, soon after he’ll be back on the field as well.
