At the end of the first half of the 2023 MLB season, the New York Yankees stood at the bottom of the East division. Aaron Judge, the captain of the Yankee ship, watched everything on the sidelines and took matters into his own hands. He understood his return was the only antidote to the team’s offensive woes.
As a result, since the All-Star break concluded, Aaron Judge has ramped up the recovery process. Ignoring the underlying pain, Judge hit multiple BP’s and ran bases diligently. Last weekend, the slugger even hit his first live BP and showed positive signs of improvement. To further advance his recovery process, the Yankees sent Judge to Tampa in a crucial step toward imminent return.
Aaron Judge Sent To Tampa To Play Simulated Games
Yankees rehabbing captain Aaron Judge showed signs of life during his first live BP session post-injury. In order to further ramp up his potential return, the Yankees sent the captain to the club’s training complex in Tampa, Florida, to participate in simulated games. Apparently, the team needed an extra set of arms to pitch to the slugger. Moreover, as per Erik Boland of Newsday, Judge played five innings in Tuesday’s sim game, wherein he hit a home run and took several at-bats. Apart from batting, he also played the field and ran the bases. Also, during the whole batting process, Judge did not appear to be favoring his injured right toe.
As per Yankees manager Aaron Boone, he is yet to receive a report on the sim game, but he believes it went well. Boone further informed that the captain would play an additional sim game on Wednesday with increased intensity and pitch volume. While there is no specific return timeline for now, Boone seemingly admitted that Judge is going to play through the underlying pain. He will communicate what he can or can’t handle. On the basis of that, a final decision will be made. For now, the team is treating it on a day-to-day basis, and every possible scenario is in play and on the table. Overall, the next couple of days should set the record straight for Aaron Judge, and a return is undoubtedly very close.
Yankees Manager Hints At Judge’s Return Over The Weekend!
While updating on Aaron Judge’s recent progress in Tampa, Yankees manager Aaron Boone affirmed that every scenario is in play right now. Judge had made good progress in simulated games, which might be enough to determine if he is match ready. A rehab assignment in a minor league is not necessarily the need of the hour. Further, when asked if the captain could potentially return over the weekend against the Baltimore Orioles, the skipper dropped a major hint.
Aaron Boone said that he is not ruling out any possibility for now. Aaron Judge is set to play a couple of more sim games. If all goes well, the captain could return at least as a DH. Overall, the next few days are highly crucial. His presence in the lineup will be a significant storyline in the ongoing 2023 season, and his return to the field will undoubtedly be met with excitement and applause from the Yankee faithful.
