The New York Yankees slipped to the bottom place in American League East Division following excessive losses to the Angels and Rockies. They are feeling the void of their injured captain, Aaron Judge, more than ever. The star slugger has been on the sidelines since June 3 as he recovers from a torn ligament injury in his right foot toe.
Over the past few weeks, Aaron Judge has made positive progress. He participated in multiple batting practice sessions and did minimal fielding drills. Off the field, the captain is reportedly running on a treadmill at 80% is his capacity. However, despite ramped-up progress, the Yankees are yet to offer a timeline for his potential return. Amid these uncertainties, the Yankee manager, Aaron Boone, has shared a crucial update on the same.
Aaron Boone Believes Yankees Captain Is Getting Close To A Return!
New York Yankees skipper, Aaron Boone, has been facing a lot of heat over the past few weeks for being unable to provide a return timeline on injured captain Aaron Judge. Boone has repeatedly said that unless he gets absolute clarity about Judge’s status, he would not reveal anything. Meanwhile, ahead of the series against the Angels, Boone shared crucial updates. He said that the slugger is getting close to a return. But he can’t tell for sure if the process would take weeks or days. The skipper claimed that Judge needs to cross some final hurdles to gain major league-level game fitness.
Those hurdles include aspects of running, such as cutting, stopping, and then starting again. Aaron Boone believes that just swinging in BP and running straight is not enough to return to a major league lineup. Aaron Judge should be able to run swiftly after hitting. He should be fit enough to face unexpected things that happen when one is in the midst of a game. Boone added that Judge will resume outfield after some time post his return. For the initial week or two, he would play the role of a DH and then gradually advance in the outfield. Lastly, Boone signed off, saying the Yankees captain’s addition would be a huge boost for the hitting lineup, which is struggling miserably at the moment.
No Return Timeline In Place Yet For Aaron Judge
While the Yankees skipper repeatedly said Aaron Judge is “close” to a return, Aaron Boone certainly failed to provide a definite timeline. The second half of the 2023 MLB season has already commenced, and Judge, who has been on IL since June 3, should have returned by now. Yet, there is still no certainty of his comeback, let alone a potential timeline. The skipper sang the same tune, “I don’t know.” He has used this phrase like a billion times since Judge went down with a gruesome toe injury.
Rumors earlier floated in that Aaron Judge could return immediately in the second half or a week after the All-Star break. However, the club officials seemingly squashed all the speculations. It won’t be too long before the fans start to ask some hard questions. Many already believe that the slugger is not on a path to return this season. However, until we hear a word from the man himself, all rumors will remain mere conjectures.