The New York Yankees anxiously await further news after their star slugger, Aaron Judge, was omitted from Sunday night’s lineup against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Judge has been phenomenal over recent weeks since his return from a right hip injury. However, after an extraordinary catch on Saturday that involved a collision with the bullpen fence, he started experiencing toe soreness, indicating a possible issue.
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The Yankees can’t afford to lose Aaron Judge:
In the 49 games he has played this season, Judge has achieved a .291 batting average with a .404 OBP, including 19 home runs, 40 RBIs, and a 188 wRC+. He is currently projected to hit 59 home runs, but this figure continues to climb, and he might be on track to break last year’s record of 62 home runs.
The reality is that Judge might just be the best player in the world right now, and his absence from the team would be a significant blow.
In May, he batted .342 with a .474 OBP and a 1.356 OPS. Having a player who gets on base half of the time is a remarkable asset, and his absence in the lineup would be sorely felt.
Fortunately, manager Aaron Boone doesn’t believe the issue to be overly serious, but it could still mean a brief period on the injured list for Judge, possibly for as little as 10 days.
“Don’t think it’s anything too major,” Boone said, “but the last couple times, recovering in between, it’s just kinda that achiness.”
With the Yankees returning to New York to play the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday, they can afford to give Aaron an extra day of rest, which the entire team could benefit from.
Fortunately for the Bombers, the White Sox have had a challenging season with a 26–35 record, suggesting they might be able to rest their star player a little longer if necessary.
The decision to omit him from the lineup seems to be a precautionary measure for now, but Judge will undergo an x-ray to determine if there is any bone damage. All we can do is hope that the results reveal no issues.