Aaron Judge is the anchor of the New York Yankees lineup. After all, the team did appoint him the captain of the team for a reason. Apart from being the lead hitter, Judge is an influential personality in the clubhouse as well. Hence, when he sustained a gruesome injury earlier this month, the Yankees predicted a storm coming their way.
Aaron Judge has injured his right foot toe while fielding against the Dodgers. He crashed into a fence door due to the intense momentum generated from the long run. The MRI scans revealed a contusion on the ligament which will keep the slugger out for an extended period of time. However, the Yankee’s uncanny radio silence on the latest injury status has raised a lot of suspicions. On the basis of various factors, an ESPN analyst has made a big claim.
ESPN Analyst Expects Aaron Judge To Remain On IL Till All-Star Break
Yankees captain, Aaron Judge, entered a 10-day IL on June 8. However, the 10-day timeline holds no ground as the team is clueless about his recovery process. Apparently, the swelling on the batter’s toe is taking time to subside. Hence, the medical team has been unable to carry out any further assessments. Long story short, nobody knows when Aaron will return to the lineup. Meanwhile, an ESPN journalist and analyst, Buster Olney, has made a big claim and even issued a viable explanation for the same.
As per Buster, Aaron Judge is a right-handed batter, and for a right-hander, the right big toe serves as an anchor in his swing. Hence, while taking a stride, the pressure on the entire body weight shifts on that toe. Moreover, Judge is a 6-foot-7 beast who weighs 282 pounds. It is almost next to impossible for an unhealed toe to take that much pressure. As a result, the Yankees will take extra precautions while setting a timeline for Judge. They would not want him to enter half-healthy and further damage the existing issue. Overall, Buster claimed that the Yankees should consider themselves lucky if, somehow, the captain is fit to play before the All-Star break. Because the early signs suggest otherwise. For context, the All-Star break will commence next month.
What Is Aaron Judge’s Current Injury Status?
The New York Yankees have maintained the same stance on return timeline since the beginning of Aaron Judge’s IL stint, which is “We don’t know.” Apparently, the increased swelling keeps the medical team from carrying out any additional tests and assessments. Well, it’s been almost a week, and the swelling is still pretty persistent. Just a day ago, manager Aaron Boone said that he had no fresh update to offer. Hence, we are looking at at least two weeks of additional absence from here on.
Meanwhile, Aaron Judge himself addressed the concerns and said that there is no need for a timeline. Whenever he feels good, he will hop back on the lineup. Setting unnecessary timelines without confidence and generating false hope is not something the club stands for. Hence, the captain urged the fans to stay calm and have some patience. As and when the situation improves, the batter will convey the same to the fans via media.
