Aaron Judge, the New York Yankees’ pillar of strength, entered IL last week after sustaining a toe injury against the Dodgers. Judge was batting at an average of .291 with 19 home runs and 40 RBIs at the time of injury. Hence, his IL stint came as a big blow to the Bronx Bombers, who always remain heavily dependent on the captain.
A few days before Aaron Judge’s injury, the Yankees gained a massive boost as three key injured players rejoined the lineup. OF/INF Giancarlo Stanton, INF Josh Donaldson, and reliever Tommy Kahnle were reinstated from IL without any restrictions. Stanton’s return, especially, was highly crucial for the Yankees owing to his impressive hitting ability. However, the team’s decision over his usage has been mind-boggling, and a podcaster recently took a strong stand against it.
Sports Podcaster Blasts Yankees For Resting Giancarlo Stanton Amid Aaron Judge’s Absence
Filling in for a player of Aaron Judge’s stature is never easy for any team. The Yankees faced the same dilemma when its captain landed in IL, and suddenly, the situation turned chaotic. The offense collapsed as the team lost two series back to back. Amid the crisis, fans and analysts expected Giancarlo Stanton to take the spotlight and step up to the occasion. The expectations come from the fact that after Judge, only Stanton is the one who is capable of hitting towering homers that too on a constant basis. However, the Yankees’ strategies have baffled the mass. The team had a scheduled day off on Monday. Yet they benched Stanton for Sunday’s important rubber game against the Red Sox.
The decision to provide Giancarlo Stanton with an additional day of rest did not sit well with sports podcaster Sal Licata. Did he raise a question, are the Yankees paying millions to the batter to play or to rest? Yes, he is coming off from an injury and needs to stay extra careful. But at a time when the lead batter is missing in the lineup and with a series at stake, is it ideal enough to keep a strong batter like Stanton out? Sal again made a good point by saying that Stanton is not even fielding, as he is playing as a DH. Hence, how difficult is it for him to come out and hit? The Podcaster called the Yankees’ decision unacceptable and criticized manager Aaron Boone for dooming the team.
Podcasting Duo Mentions Concerning Stats Which Sums Up Aaron Judge’s Importance In The Yankee Lineup
Aaron Judge‘s influence in the New York Yankees lineup cannot be overstated. Especially since last season, the dependence has just elevated. It’s reached a point where it’s getting extremely difficult for the Bombers to play without their captain. As Judge made his way to IL for the second time this season, Talkin Yanks podcasters pointed out a bunch of stats that perfectly sum up the batter’s importance in the team’s offensive lineup.
Jomboy and Jake were discussing Aaron Judge’s injury, wherein they stated that with Judge in the lineup, the Yankees scored an average of 5 runs per game. But the numbers dropped significantly to 3 runs per game average without the batter’s presence in the lineup. The trend is dangerous for the Yankees’ campaign. If they continue to depend heavily on their captain, it won’t be too long before they fall apart, as Aaron Judge alone cannot hold the fort for too long.
