In a time in which we have no baseball to enjoy, one of the most interesting storylines for New York Yankees‘ fans is the current state of Aaron Judge’s rib. He is arguably the most important position player in the roster, the one that will drive the club’s success if health is on his side.
According to MLB.com’s beat writer for the Yankees Bryan Hoch, everything is coming along as planned for the Yankees’ all-around star.
Hoch reported that Judge remains in the Tampa, Fla., area and has been utilizing the George M. Steinbrenner Field complex as he rehabs from the stress fracture in his first right rib. The injury was spotted in March following a series of tests.
The Yankees seem to believe that Judge injured himself last September while attempting to make a diving catch in the outfield.
According to what the outfielder himself said in March, a CT scan showed “slight healing,” and added that a previously unreported pneumothorax (collapsed lung) has been resolved.
In a chat with Portland Trailblazers’ star Damian Lillard on adidas’ “The Huddle” Instagram Live show, the New York Yankees’ right fielder showed an optimistic attitude regarding his return to specifical baseball activities such as swinging and throwing.
The Yankees’ star rehab is going “good”
“It’s going good,” Judge told Lillard. “We were in Spring Training, just getting the season going. Having a broken rib, I should be back doing a little more here in about a week or two, and then hopefully have some answers on when the season starts. It’s crazy times.”
Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Judge is enjoying this extra time off to let his rib heal. As a result, he should be ready to go whenever the MLB commissioner, the players’ association and health officials consider the appropriate time to return to action. Judge said he doesn’t want to rush back and re-injure himself.
“I think the consistent swinging and weightlifting throughout the whole offseason really didn’t give it the chance to [heal],” Judge said. “If somebody breaks their leg and they’re in a cast, they’re immobilized for a couple weeks or months. You give the bone a chance to heal. But I was [upset] about how the season ended last year, so I went right back to it. We’ve all been through pain, bumps and bruises. In my head, I felt like it was something that I could fight through, and I think that kind of cost me a little bit there.”