Aaron Judge
Aaron Judge sent a message to his teammates with his postgame comments on Tuesday, saying execution needs to be better if the Yankees want to make the playoffs.AP

Aaron Judge, the New York Yankees captain, ‘s participation on opening day was in jeopardy after an unfortunate abdominal injury scare. The slugger seemed fine when he first arrived for spring. But something happened this past week that gave the Yankee fans a major scare.

   

Aaron Judge has been missing in action since last Sunday. While he claimed the MRI scans for his abs came out clean, his continued absence paints a different picture. Amid raging concerns around Judge’s opening day participation, another conflicting report on his return timeline has added to the fans’ growing frustration.

Aaron Judge Unlikely To Return This Saturday Despite Clean MRI Results

Aaron Judge
Aaron Judge sat out the spring training games on March 11, 2024. AP

The lack of transparency from the New York Yankees with respect to Aaron Judge’s injury status and return timeline has left the fans frustrated. Earlier this week, Aaron Boone penciled Judge to return this coming Saturday against the Toronto Blue Jays. However, the slugger was absent from Yank’s batting practice sessions and also allegedly skipped cage practice. Suddenly, skipper Boone made a U-turn to confirm that if Judge fails to bat in the cage on Friday, he will not play on Saturday as previously decided. Further reacting to the changing dynamics, Aaron Judge said the absence in spring games is precautionary and not alarming. “No need to risk stuff in Spring Training,” said Judge. He cleared MRI scans and has been feeling good physically.

“The main goal is to be game-ready for Opening Day. So we’re just going to work towards that,” said Judge. While the New York Yankees feel positive about Aaron Judge’s readiness for the opening-day series, the conflicting reports aren’t working in their favor. The fans smell a brewing conspiracy to hide Judge’s actual diagnosis to avert a panic situation in New York. With Gerrit Cole out for 10-12 weeks, losing Judge would be catastrophic for the Bronx Bombers. The stakes are high this year, and the team needs every piece to fit the puzzle. And Aaron Judge is a key piece without whom the 2024 MLB season campaign would fall apart even before it starts. Overall, Judge’s Saturday return remains uncertain for now. But the Yanks’ cautious approach bodes well for the captain’s eventual comeback and the team’s prospects for success in the season ahead.

Aaron Boone Expects Yankees Captain To Be Back Soon!

Yankees
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone. Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

After multiple conflicting updates on Aaron Judge’s injury, New York Yankees Aaron Boone is now cautious. During a recent spring game, the manager was asked to address the uncertainty surrounding the Judge’s return to the lineup. Boone said he has not been very good at predicting things lately. So he would rather say ‘soon’ than put a specific timeline.

Notably, Aaron Boone’s take on Aaron Judge’s abs injury has been dubious from the start. He initially hid the diagnosis. And it was only after Judge himself came forward that his injury concern was known to the world. Then, the skipper was proved wrong about the captain’s Saturday return, which has left a sense of dissent among the Yankees fans.

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