When news emerged out of the New York Yankees training complex that Aaron Judge would be skipping team workouts, and early BP, people got worried. And when it emerged that it’s his throwing shoulder acting up being the reason why he’s being sat warily this spring, people got even more worried. The Yankees say “It is a minor thing, nothing to worry about,†after last season, everyone ought to be worried.
He Needs to Play a Full Spring
Didi came out the gate hot as a firecracker when he got back from Tommy John surgery. But when he hit the skids after the All-Star break, the fact Didi did NOT have a Spring Training to knock the rust off from 2018 hurt him.
Judge has admitted that the reason for his sore shoulder stems from “working out and hitting since Novemberâ€. What’s disconcerting is that if he was doing this without the supervision of the new strength and conditioning personnel, or even the old S&C team, he could have overdone it. Syndergaard overdid it one offseason, and he tore his pectoral muscle as a result of it.
Maybe I’m jumping to too early of a conclusion, but if this shoulder is misdiagnosed, and Judge ends up starting on the IL this season, the Yankees will be in trouble. Judge is the cornerstone of this offense, and when he comes off the IL, he’s PAINFULLY slow getting back up to speed. Plus, it’s his throwing shoulder acting up. If his cannon of an arm is compromised, then right field becomes a chief point of concern, as it could pave way for the shaky at best, mediocre at worst glove of Clint Frazier to bungle routine defensive plays on the regular.
First thing first, Judge needs to play this spring to get himself into the season playing shape. Second, the New York Yankees should get multiple second opinions. They can’t afford this shoulder to be misdiagnosed like Severino’s injuries, or Hick’s back last spring.