The New York Yankees announced that star outfielder Aaron Judge will be placed on the 10-day injured list starting Saturday. This update came after Judge left a game earlier this week with a right calf strain. Judge had already missed over three months this season due to a wrist injury, playing only seven games before this latest setback.
Though only ten games remain in the regular season, the Yankees can retroactively apply the injured list move, which might allow Judge to return on the final day, September 27th, depending on his recovery. The Yankees are set to start the Wild Card Series on September 29th unless they overtake the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East standings.
Judge experienced a similar calf strain back in 2020, which sidelined him for about three weeks; if this injury follows the same timeline, he could possibly return partway through the Division Series, assuming the Yankees advance. When asked about Judge’s return, Yankees manager Aaron Boone declined to speculate on a timeline.
This season, Judge has appeared in 66 games, batting .241 with a .360 on-base percentage and a .511 slugging mark, compiling 18 home runs and 41 RBIs with a 1.9 WAR. Although he did homer against the Twins recently, his stats have dipped since coming back from his wrist injury, hitting just .174 with a .208 on-base in 24 plate appearances. This is the fewest games Judge has played in a non-COVID impacted season since his rookie year.
The Yankees have already secured a playoff spot and have a slim chance to claim the AL East title and the league’s top seed, currently trailing the Rays by five games with a critical four-game series upcoming at home. Unfortunately, Judge will miss that entire series. The team’s performance varies significantly with and without Judge: they are 41-25 when he starts but drop to 47-39 when he does not. His absence leaves a noticeable impact on the team’s chances.
The Yankees currently are in Arizona for a three-game series and will finish the season at home with four games against the Rays and three against the Orioles.
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Fan Take: Aaron Judge’s injury is a huge blow to the Yankees and could shift the balance of power in the playoffs, showing just how pivotal he is to the team’s success. Baseball fans everywhere will be watching closely, as his recovery and potential return may greatly influence the postseason landscape.
Source: www.cbssports.com
