Outfielder Aaron Judge is undoubtedly the backbone of the New York Yankees lineup. This season, he has been a complete player for his side. Offensively, he stays at the top of the charts with an impressive OPS and home run tally. Not only that, Judge has stayed at his absolute best in the field as well. Hence, his presence in the lineup is extremely crucial for the team’s overall success.
The world saw the Yankees’ downfall when Aaron Judge entered 10-day IL in May. The team lost seven out of the 13 games while scoring 3.5 runs per game. As soon as he returned, the team witnessed a resurgence by coming out of May as the best team in the East Division. Again, the credit went to the captain, Aaron Judge. However, as the team enters the crucial stage of the season, they are once again destined to lose their captain for a few weeks.
Yankees Place Aaron Judge On IL With Toe Injury
Aaron Judge impressed the baseball fraternity last week with an acrobatic catch against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He covered over 70 feet distance in less than 5 seconds to make the play. While he got hold of the ball, the momentum of his run pushed him into the fence door. The velocity of Judge’s momentum was so high that the door broke open upon contact, and the Yankees captain stumbled right into it. Fortunately, the slugger avoided a hard fall. Yet his toe took a hit as he missed the series finale on Sunday. According to the team, a minor swelling had developed over the hit area. Hence, the captain would be sent for MRI scans on Tuesday to determine the possibility of an IL stint.
Aaron Judge will go on the IL with a contusion and sprain of a ligament in his toe, per @MaxTGoodman
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) June 7, 2023
Apparently, Aaron Judge underwent MRI scans on Tuesday and was diagnosed with a contusion and sprained ligament in his right toe. Hence, Yankees manager Aaron Boone came up with the most feared update. The Yankees have officially placed the captain on a 10-day IL due to a recent toe injury. However, Boone did confirm that Judge had not broken his toe or sustained a fracture. Hence, he should be up and running in a few days. A 10-day window is merely a precautionary timeline to ensure the slugger is not rushed into recovery. Regardless, the return window for Aaron Judge is open for next weekend when the Yankees face Boston Red Sox.
Aaron Judge’s Second Stint On IL Is Bad News For Yankees
Yankees captain Aaron Judge is the glue that holds the team together. Hence, his absence will likely cause a lot of damage to the team. Moreover, this isn’t the first time Judge has been on IL. During the first week of May, the slugger went on IL due to a hip injury, and the Yankees plunged to last at the East table during that period. Hence, losing Judge at a time of a crucial resurgence is a major blow to the team.
What’s more concerning is that the Yankees do not even have a proper return timeline for Aaron Judge. Skipper Aaron Boone has suggested that the stint would initially be for ten days and can further increase or decrease according to the status of the injury. Hence, it is highly likely the Yankees lose their captain for the whole month of June if the slugger fails to recover in time. It so happens it would be catastrophic for the Bronx Bombers.
