The New York Yankees have desperately missed slugger Aaron Judge in the lineup over the last few months.
Judge has been out since late May with a stress fracture of the right rib, and the team has completely faltered during his absence. The star has been trying to work his way back from injury, but there is no guarantee that he comes back.
New York has been hopeful for a return in late August or September. But the injury seems to be lingering with Judge over the summer.
Aaron Judge Impact on Yankees?
The Yankees have been around a .500 team without Judge, showing his worth to the group. However, even if he can return, MLB insider Bob Nightengale wonders how impactful he can be for this Yankees team.
“If Aaron Judge does return for the Yankees, just how productive will he be after being out since May 31? Certainly, they’re not the same team without the big guy. They are 29-28 in his absence, ranking last in batting average (.219), last in on-base percentage (.283) and 27th in OPS (.669), averaging 3.9 runs a game compared to 5.2 before Judge went on the IL,” Nightengale said.
Nightengale certainly understands the overall impact that Judge has on the Yankees, but given where the team is right now, it could be a little late for them. The Yankees need Judge back in the worst way, but it may not happen for another few weeks, at best.
Before going out with the injury, Judge hit .375 with 17 home runs and 38 RBIs, while posting an OPS of .908. The slugger was on pace for another MVP season potentially, making his injury even more unfortunate.
New York is now in a battle for playoff positioning with the rival Boston Red Sox. Boston has completely turned its season around, putting more pressure on the Yankees to get it together.
But without Judge, it could be challenging for this group. The Yankees offense has been very inconsistent, and it’s been a tough watch over the last few months.
Aaron Judge Injury Update
The star has recently returned to non-baseball activities, but he is still far away from returning to the field. Insider Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic provided an update on the slugger recently, giving some hope for his eventual return.
“It is not baseball activity,” Rosenthal said. “It is outdoor running or upper-body resistance training. Judge said that he will be back this season, but a look at the calendar means sometime around late August or early September. He does not like rehab assignments. Confidence remains among the Yankees and Judge himself that he will be back.’
If Judge can get back in this timeline, it could give him enough time to ramp up before the postseason. But time isn’t on the side of the All-Star or the Yankees, with his injury going much longer than expected.
However, counting against Judge doesn’t ever seem to be a smart idea, and the Yankees’ franchise star could surprise everyone. Having all the extra time off during the year could give him more energy for the playoffs if the Yankees can clinch a spot, which could define his legacy.
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