New York Yankees slugger and reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge has been out of action since last Thursday when he was forced to leave the game against the Texas Rangers due to right hip discomfort.
He missed the entire weekend, and the Yankees suffered three consecutive losses against Texas. On Monday, Judge took batting practice to evaluate his ailing right hip, and following the session, the team decided to place him on the 10-day injured list.
“Prior to tonight’s game, the Yankees made the following roster moves: Placed OF Aaron Judge on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to 4/28) with a right hip strain. Recalled INF/OF Franchy Cordero (#33) from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre,” the team announced on Twitter.
Since the injured list stint is retroactive, Judge will be eligible to return on May 8.
Although it is not anticipated to be a long-term issue, losing Judge for the next week is undoubtedly a significant setback for one of the American League’s weakest offenses.
The Yankees’ offense has been mediocre in 2023, and losing Judge does not help:
As of Monday afternoon, the Bombers rank 11th out of 15 American League teams in runs scored, with a total of 116. Injuries have certainly contributed to this, as the team has lost Giancarlo Stanton, Harrison Bader, Josh Donaldson, and now Judge.
However, poor roster construction is the primary reason for the Yankees’ mediocrity this year. They were aware of the issues with third base and left field since the offseason began, yet chose to largely overlook them.
On the season, Judge is batting .261/.352/.511 with six home runs, 18 runs scored, 14 RBI, and a 136 wRC+. While his performance has been good, it has not matched his 2022 success, and this has also affected the Yankees.
Judge cannot shoulder the entire burden on his own. With him sidelined for a few days, the Yankees’ offense will face another challenge.