The New York Yankees are bitten pretty badly by the injury bug this season. As we inch closer to completing three months into the season, the Bombers have multiple high-end players sitting on IL, including the captain, Aaron Judge. The slugger has been on IL since June 8 due to a toe injury. While he is making significant progress, the team still has no timeline for his probable return.
On the other hand, starting pitcher Nestor Cortes is also serving time on IL due to a shoulder issue. He was asked to rest for two weeks before he could resume throwing activities. Without him, the pitching rotation remains incomplete. Meanwhile, ahead of the weekend series against Texas Rangers, the Yankees have shared fresh updates on Aaron Judge and Nestor Cortes.
Yankees Captain Aaron Judge Could Resume Hitting And Throwing Around This Weekend
New York Yankees faced the worst setback of the season on June 4 when its captain, Aaron Judge, crashed into a fence at the Dodgers stadium. In an attempt to pull off a sensational catch, the slugger ended up injuring his toe. Shortly after, he was placed on IL with no return timeline. In the past three weeks, Judge took two shots to speed up the recovery process and responded well. His toe inflammation has reduced significantly, which will allow the medical team to carry out further assessments.
Aaron Boone and the Yankees are still clueless about Aaron Judge’s return pic.twitter.com/dEW9Ti6PVT
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) June 23, 2023
Meanwhile, Yankees manager Aaron Boone confirmed that Aaron Judge had resumed balance and strength workouts. If he progresses well, the conditioning team will allow him to resume throwing activities and also light-hitting practices by the end of this week. However, nothing is confirmed. The team will monitor his progress for a few days and will move cautiously. The Yankees had already made it crystal clear that by any means, they would not rush Judge’s recovery. He will only be allowed to take the field again when he feels 100% fine. That being said, the Bronx Bombers have tumbled massively since the captain landed on IL. Hence, his early return is crucial for the team’s season campaign.
Nestor Cortes Could Resume Throwing From Mound Shortly
The Yankees faced yet another setback when it lost its key starting pitcher, Nestor Cortes, to a shoulder injury. The shoulder was causing discomfort for a while. But when it did not subside in between starts, Cortes chose to go for scans that showed major shoulder strain. As a result, the medical team advised him to stop all baseball-related activities for two weeks straight. After two weeks, Cortes has begun throwing on the ground and is making good progress.
Hence, as per Aaron Boone, Nestor Cortes can resume throwing from the mound in a week’s time. Without Cortes, the rotation is incomplete. Gerrit Cole is burdened with pressure and could soon succumb to it. Hence, it is crucial for Cortes to return to the mound as soon as possible to assist Cole and help the Yankees win through the stellar defense. Along with Cortes, LHP Carlos Rodon is also under a rehab assignment that could fast-track his return to next week, to say the least.
