The New York Yankees’ crowded injury list is most likely to extend in the coming week. While the team welcomed back three key players this past weekend, it looks like another crucial duo will fill up their places. LHP Nestor Cortes and the captain himself, outfielder Aaron Judge, faced massive injury scares during the series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Key starter of the Yankees rotation, Nestor Cortes, has been ordinary on the mound for the past few weeks. He looked visibly in physical pain. It was later revealed that Cortes was having some trouble with his throwing arm shoulder. On the other hand, the captain, Aaron Judge, crashed into the bullpen door on Saturday while attempting a sensational catch. Now, both the players could face a short stint on IL.
Yankees Cap Aaron Judge Crashes Into Fence, Sustains Toe Injury
New York Yankees captain, Aaron Judge, has been on a flying start since his return from IL. He smashed .291 with 10 homers in the last three weeks. Meanwhile, on Saturday, Judge arrived at the Dodgers stadium to take on LA Dodgers for the second game of the series. During the eighth inning, the slugger made a run to attempt a catch when he crashed into the bullpen door. He stumbled but managed to get back on his feet to complete the play. While the play was ruled out, Judge apparently suffered a huge blow on his toe.
AARON JUDGE BROKE THE DOOR pic.twitter.com/Mjkzjb4XuG
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) June 4, 2023
Subsequently, on Sunday, the Yankees started him off on the bench as a precautionary measure. Yankees manager Aaron Boone and the injured OF Aaron Judge addressed the media but refused to let out any details. However, Boone did confirm that the slugger will be sent for tests and hopefully will avoid an IL stint. On the other hand, Judge stated that he did not know the severity of the niggle as he had not faced a toe injury before. The slugger also added that he does not mind a short IL stint. But all that will depend on the test results. Hence, he cannot put a timeline on his return just yet. Let’s hope the captain escapes any major issue, as a prolonged absence here would prove to be devastating for the Yankees.
Nestor Cortes To Undergo MRI Test For Shoulder Inflammation
The Yankee’s injury woes have just worsened with time. After an injury scare to the captain, Aaron Judge, the team might lose a key starter. LHP Nestor Cortes has struggled on the mound in his past couple of starts. It is now revealed that Cortes was suffering from a shoulder niggle. Moreover, the pitcher failed to recover during his off days as the inflammation flared up. It’s reached a point where the Yankees are considering moving him to IL.
Aaron Boone, the manager, has stated that Nestor Cortes will undergo an MRI test on Monday/Tuesday. The results of those scans will determine the future of the left-hander in the season. However, the skipper isn’t much concerned and claimed that Cortes would miss two-three starts at max. Hence, we are possibly looking at a one-week IL stint.