When the New York Yankees reported that slugger Aaron Judge would miss individual drills with a sore shoulder, most believed it was nothing to be concerned about. However, every passing day results in more miss time for Judge, who was expected only to miss minimal time this preseason.
While the absence of Judge has given opportunities to reserve options like Clint Frazier and Miguel Andujar, his return is a necessity for the squad as they prepare for their March 26 opener against the Baltimore orioles.
The New York Yankees continue to conduct tests on Aaron:
On Monday, Judge went for another round of tests on his shoulder, which was supposed “crankiness,” according to Aaron Boone, when he initially found out about the ailment.
“It’s frustrating that we haven’t pinpointed exactly what it is and what’s causing the discomfort,’’ manager Aaron Boone said on Sunday. “But I’d say I feel a little more optimistic about where we’re at.’’
As long as Judge is sidelined, there is little news that can provide positivity, as a sore shoulder should not keep a player out this long. Boone has continued to indicate that he is doing better, despite his inability to take the field and participate in his first Grapefruit League game.
“They worked on him a lot (Saturday),’’ Boone said of the training staff. “So, I’d say we were a little encouraged this morning.’’
The Yankees may be just taking precautions with Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, who injured his calf last week during practice. His injury, a grade one calf strain, should only keep him out 7 to 10 days, but knowing his inability to recover, he could miss the beginning of the regular season.
With the Yankees moving on from former strength and conditioning coach Matt Kraus, it was expected that their injury concerns would dissipate. That has not been the case, as even Erik Cressey, a renowned conditioning coach, has been unable to solve the complex puzzle that continues to plague the Yankees year in and year out.