Aaron Judge hitting a form slump is arguably the New York Yankees’ worst nightmare. And the very nightmare turned into reality as the slugger hit a slump at the worst possible time. As injuries continued to pile up, Judge struggled to cope with it and succumbed under pressure. On top of that, an unfortunate hip injury further added to the misery.
The Yankees captain served 10 days on the injury list before returning against the Athletics. He was reinstated from IL without any restrictions. Hence, the Yankees wasted no time and directly placed him on the top of the order. Judge batted like he had never witnessed a slump at all. He scored a homer in the very first game and continued to add a lot more in the course of one week. Amid the hot form, the Bronx Bombers surprisingly decided to drop Aaron Judge from the starting lineup against the Reds, which irked the fans.
Aaron Judge Rested For Third Game Against Cincinnati Reds
The New York Yankees went on a road trip last week wherein they played Tampa Bay Rays and Cincinnati Reds. After splitting the series with the Rays, the New York-based team went on to win the one against the Reds. Hence, they arrived on Sunday with absolutely no pressure. Meanwhile, Yankees manager Aaron Boone shook the Yankee fandom when he omitted captain Aaron Judge’s name from the lineup sheet. Apparently, the team management rested the slugger, as he had not missed a single game since his return from IL.
Boone further clarified that Aaron Judge is fully healthy, and there are no concerns on that front. The team just wants to play safe with him as he is coming from an injury. While Judge was reinstated without any restrictions, he has been playing as a DH since his return. Hence, the Yankees seem paranoid about the entire injury crisis and want to take no risk with their captain, Aaron Judge. However, the timing of the move has not sat well with fans and analysts alike. Judge had hit seven homers in his last seven outings before getting dropped from the lineup. The team should have utilized his hot form to generate better offensive production. Regardless, the Yankees’ management probably has a bigger plan in mind considering the longevity of the season.
Fans Baffled With Yankees Decision To Drop Judge Against The Reds
The Yankee fandom was taken aback when Aaron Boone announced that Aaron Judge wouldn’t be a part of the Yankees lineup for the final game against the Cincinnati Reds. Rightly so. Judge has hit .378 with seven home runs and a 1.402 OPS since his return. He gained his old natural form for the first time this season. Hence, the fans believed the Yankees should have utilized his form. The agitated fans took to Twitter and once again criticized the management’s policies and strategies.
Meanwhile, Yankees manager, Aaron Boone, admitted that excluding Aaron Judge from the lineup during his hot form was a tough decision. However, it’s for the betterment of the slugger. Considering his hip injury, Judge needs some days off. The team needs to stay disciplined with his recovery plan if they want to ensure the longevity of Judge in the season. Boone claimed even the slugger is on board with the plan and understands what’s right for him.
